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The Dread Penny Society #3
The Merchant and the Rogue
London, 1865
Vera Sorokina loves reading the Penny Dreadfuls and immersing herself in tales of adventure, mystery, and romance. Her own days are filled with the often mundane work of running the book and print shop she owns with her father. The shop offers her freedom and an income, and while she is grateful for the stability it brings to her life, she often feels lonely.
Brogan Donnelly was born and raised in Ireland, but has lived in London for several years, where he’s built a career as a penny dreadful writer. He has dedicated himself to the plight of the poor with the help of his sister. But with no one to share his life with, he fears London will never truly feel like home.
Brogan and Vera’s paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from past experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at Vera’s print shop is aboveboard. When a growing criminal enterprise begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they’ve both grown to love. But that means they’ll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries.
Vera Sorokina loves reading the Penny Dreadfuls and immersing herself in tales of adventure, mystery, and romance. Her own days are filled with the often mundane work of running the book and print shop she owns with her father. The shop offers her freedom and an income, and while she is grateful for the stability it brings to her life, she often feels lonely.
Brogan Donnelly was born and raised in Ireland, but has lived in London for several years, where he’s built a career as a penny dreadful writer. He has dedicated himself to the plight of the poor with the help of his sister. But with no one to share his life with, he fears London will never truly feel like home.
Brogan and Vera’s paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from past experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at Vera’s print shop is aboveboard. When a growing criminal enterprise begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they’ve both grown to love. But that means they’ll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries.
368 pages, Paperback
First published August 17, 2021
167 people are currently reading
4544 people want to read
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August 17, 2021
Publication Day 8/17
Penny Dreadfuls were stories published in installments, a week or more apart. At a penny apiece, many street urchins were "eager for a copy of the popular tales...in made-up worlds, far from the heavy lives they lived...London's street children knew far too much of the world to be upset by tales of danger and dastardliness." The Dread Penny Society was "a group of vigilante, do-good authors." Cloaked in secrecy, significant others in their lives were told half truths about the society's secret agenda.
Brogan Donnelly had always been a "foot soldier" but the head of the DPS wanted him to be "a general in [a] high stakes battle." The Russian ambassador had requested protection amid worries of being targeted by a notorious criminal mastermind. Brogan's assignment: resign his DPS membership and work alone gathering information. He became a "plant" in a print shop owned and operated by a Russian immigrant named Sorokin. Sorokin had been seen near Ambassador von Brunnow's home. "Brogan never abandoned people in need...but undertaking this alone [was] out of character...outside his ability...the rogue elephant it is, then."
How opportune! A help wanted sign in the Sorokin Print Shop! The very shop Brogan needed to investigate. Based upon his past history, Brogan knew that "life [doesn't] hand out opportunities in equal measure." Fleeing from Dublin with his sister Moirin, they had to live by their wits to get by. "Twas sometimes a long while between pennies." Brogan, using the moniker Ganor, was a wonder with the street urchins, helping them decide which Penny Dreadful was the best purchase for a hard earned penny. His kindness was not lost on Vera Sorokina. "Something about hiring Brogan gave her pause...she would keep her eyes and ears open." "Papa Sorokin struggled to trust people. He was gruff and offputting. He did not like writers...[Papa ] had decades of reasons to keep his distance from the literary set." Complications arose when the criminal element tried to squeeze money from the London shopkeepers who were just scraping by.
"The Merchant and the Rogue" (The Dread Penny Society #3) by Sarah M. Eden can be read as a standalone story set in 1865 London. The banter and sparks flying between Brogan and Vera as their friendship deepened, perhaps, might be indicative of something more. The alternation of storyline interspersed with two Penny Dreadfuls, in installments, was delightful and helped propel the story. A different ending would have been more to the taste of this reader, however, the tome was most enjoyable.
Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Penny Dreadfuls were stories published in installments, a week or more apart. At a penny apiece, many street urchins were "eager for a copy of the popular tales...in made-up worlds, far from the heavy lives they lived...London's street children knew far too much of the world to be upset by tales of danger and dastardliness." The Dread Penny Society was "a group of vigilante, do-good authors." Cloaked in secrecy, significant others in their lives were told half truths about the society's secret agenda.
Brogan Donnelly had always been a "foot soldier" but the head of the DPS wanted him to be "a general in [a] high stakes battle." The Russian ambassador had requested protection amid worries of being targeted by a notorious criminal mastermind. Brogan's assignment: resign his DPS membership and work alone gathering information. He became a "plant" in a print shop owned and operated by a Russian immigrant named Sorokin. Sorokin had been seen near Ambassador von Brunnow's home. "Brogan never abandoned people in need...but undertaking this alone [was] out of character...outside his ability...the rogue elephant it is, then."
How opportune! A help wanted sign in the Sorokin Print Shop! The very shop Brogan needed to investigate. Based upon his past history, Brogan knew that "life [doesn't] hand out opportunities in equal measure." Fleeing from Dublin with his sister Moirin, they had to live by their wits to get by. "Twas sometimes a long while between pennies." Brogan, using the moniker Ganor, was a wonder with the street urchins, helping them decide which Penny Dreadful was the best purchase for a hard earned penny. His kindness was not lost on Vera Sorokina. "Something about hiring Brogan gave her pause...she would keep her eyes and ears open." "Papa Sorokin struggled to trust people. He was gruff and offputting. He did not like writers...[Papa ] had decades of reasons to keep his distance from the literary set." Complications arose when the criminal element tried to squeeze money from the London shopkeepers who were just scraping by.
"The Merchant and the Rogue" (The Dread Penny Society #3) by Sarah M. Eden can be read as a standalone story set in 1865 London. The banter and sparks flying between Brogan and Vera as their friendship deepened, perhaps, might be indicative of something more. The alternation of storyline interspersed with two Penny Dreadfuls, in installments, was delightful and helped propel the story. A different ending would have been more to the taste of this reader, however, the tome was most enjoyable.
Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2021
The Merchant and the Rogue is book 3 in The Dread Penny Society series by Sarah M. Eden, published by Shadow Mountain Publishers. This story is set in London 1865 and is about Dread Penny Society member Brogan Donnelly. By working there, he is assigned to secretly investigate a Soho print shop for possible criminal connection to the Russian ambassador’s office. Brogan has to be careful not to tip off shop manager Vera Sorokina about why he is there. Local merchants seem to be at risk if they don’t pay for “protection” against sabotage of their livelihoods, so Brogan and Vera work to stop the crime spree while their feelings for each other grow.
Main character is philanthropist Brogan Donnelly who has grown up as an orphan on the streets of Dublin and is passionate about making the lives of poor children easier. I keep whishing he would value himself more, but I like him a lot and he is my favorite of this story.
Supporting character is print shop manager Vera Sorokina, who seems a compassionate and confident business woman with a heart for the street children. I find her very obedient with her father and wish she would have found courage to rebel.
I have read both previous books in the series and would probably recommend reading them in order to get the complete picture, but the story reads perfectly as a standalone too. The plot centers on the secret Dread Penny Society whose purpose is to make the lives of London’s street children better. Brogan Donnelly is an active participant in this. I felt I learned even more from this book about the difficult living conditions for poor, orphaned children in the 1800s.
As it takes place in a poor area where businesses struggle to survive and criminals find a way to exploit it felt unique as I have not read anything similar.
The dramatic mystery element of figuring out who pressures shopkeepers to pay to prevent destruction of their businesses was one of my favorite parts.
The description of when Brogan and Vera met for the first time was my absolute favorite part of the story and I loved the bantering between them. Having followed the series so far, I eagerly await what the next book will be about.
Readers who enjoy historical romance stories will enjoy this. I have read quite a number of Sarah M. Eden’s books and loved them all, so I’m sure other of her fans will too. Similar authors to explore might be Abigail Wilson or Arlem Hawks.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain, Sarah M. Eden and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
Conclusion: In The Merchant and the Rogue, grown-up Irish street urchin Brogan Donnelly works in a print shop to secretly investigate criminal activity when he meets kindhearted Vera Sorokina who is equally passionate about poor children. Brogan and Vera’s feelings for each other grow while they work to stop the crime spree threatening local merchants.
Main character is philanthropist Brogan Donnelly who has grown up as an orphan on the streets of Dublin and is passionate about making the lives of poor children easier. I keep whishing he would value himself more, but I like him a lot and he is my favorite of this story.
Supporting character is print shop manager Vera Sorokina, who seems a compassionate and confident business woman with a heart for the street children. I find her very obedient with her father and wish she would have found courage to rebel.
I have read both previous books in the series and would probably recommend reading them in order to get the complete picture, but the story reads perfectly as a standalone too. The plot centers on the secret Dread Penny Society whose purpose is to make the lives of London’s street children better. Brogan Donnelly is an active participant in this. I felt I learned even more from this book about the difficult living conditions for poor, orphaned children in the 1800s.
As it takes place in a poor area where businesses struggle to survive and criminals find a way to exploit it felt unique as I have not read anything similar.
The dramatic mystery element of figuring out who pressures shopkeepers to pay to prevent destruction of their businesses was one of my favorite parts.
The description of when Brogan and Vera met for the first time was my absolute favorite part of the story and I loved the bantering between them. Having followed the series so far, I eagerly await what the next book will be about.
Readers who enjoy historical romance stories will enjoy this. I have read quite a number of Sarah M. Eden’s books and loved them all, so I’m sure other of her fans will too. Similar authors to explore might be Abigail Wilson or Arlem Hawks.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain, Sarah M. Eden and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
Conclusion: In The Merchant and the Rogue, grown-up Irish street urchin Brogan Donnelly works in a print shop to secretly investigate criminal activity when he meets kindhearted Vera Sorokina who is equally passionate about poor children. Brogan and Vera’s feelings for each other grow while they work to stop the crime spree threatening local merchants.
February 25, 2021
A great continuation of this series. More players come into this. We learn about Brogan and his sister. And we meet Vera. These are some compassionate, do good characters. Eden excels at characters you want to love. This series is different in that there are 3 stories going. This is not my favorite thing. There is a penny dreadful story in each of these books written by King, the main member of the story and the story about the main players in this book. It pulls me out of the main story every time these other two stories pop up. I ended up skipping them and going back and reading them after I read the main story. This was much better for my brain. I hate starting a story until I am finished with the last. I enjoyed this story and am waiting for the next!
June 30, 2021
Blog Review: https://trishadoeseverythingbutstudy2...
I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This was better than the last, but nowhere near the first.
I don't know where this series went wrong, but with the first amazing book, the less than enjoyable second, and this marginally better Third, I don't know whether this series is worth keeping up with any more. I will most likely read the next instalments too, but I don't know where the potential that the first one had went.
This book actually had conflict, and angst, and actual character differences, so compared to the second one, this one was amazing. But compared to what drew me to this series, the first book, it still wasn't that good.
The plot is alright, but I honestly thought this was just going to be a trilogy, so it was a bit disappointing to see that nothing much ended up happening except that the most notorious and previously thought most dangerous criminal got caught. But now there's an even worse one, so we're more or less back to square one?
I like that this explored the way the members of the Dread Penny society were facing numerous problems with being able to tell their family members, but I would have liked the resolution in this book? I would have loved to see the ending actually including the decision and it's consequences at the end.
Vera and Brogan's romance was so many levels above Ana and Hollis, just because there was angst. I'm telling you, after The Gentleman and The Thief, I'll enjoy nearly everything if there's actual conflict; the book was just so boring. But this is not the review for that book, so you can go and read my grievances there.
The penny dreadfuls have gotten boring though? the first book ones were amazing, though I didn't i>love the vampire one; in the second book they were alright, but the gentleman and thief one seemed out of place because in the first Elizabeth was drawing inspiration form her life, but here she seems to be drawing inspiration from two other people's lives that she is not actually privy to, so it seems weird?; and in the third, the same problem was there, and in both the second and third book I didn't completely love the ones not by Mr. King.
The Dead Zoo one was okay, but the ending was like those creepy ones where you're left like WHAT OH NO like those Ruskin Bond ones where you realise 5 minutes after reading the ending the creepy meaning of what was actually happening. Or even Roald Dahl level ones. Or even those Enid Blyton short story endings, if you've read Anytime Tales or ones like that.
Honestly, my favourite parts of this book were when we had cameos of Elizabeth and Fletcher, so that should tell you a lot about how this ended up being.
The ending was not to my liking because it seemed really incomplete. We just left the story when we could have done with a couple more chapters to explain what happens next with Vera. And the other thing I didn't like about it was the permanency.
In both this book and the last, we end with a typical historical romance ending where the characters end up marrying but I loved the open ending of the first book a lot more. Fletcher and Elizabeth don't end up marrying and are still courting, and honestly that is the best ending because it subverts insta-love so well. And in both this and the last, the proposal seems too early and jarring compared to the voice of the first book.
I laughed so loud when he reason behind Vera's father's' hate were revealed, which was not the correct emotion to display but it was so funny somehow? Like of course this would be the reason, how else could this have possibly ended. In like a sarcastic way. But my BR partner agreed with me, so I think I'm not completely mad. Yet.
One the main likes for me about this series is that the characters are all middle class or middle class adjacent, which allows for a lot of other stories to be told than the typical historical romance involving earls, dukes, and marquesses.
On the whole, an alright book by itself, but not a very good sequel. I would recommend it to readers of this series, but to take this recommendation with a grain of salt because you might not find the magic of the first one in this. And also to anyone who likes the secret hidden identity trope, friends to lovers trope, historical romances that do focus on plot and do it somewhat well, and ones involving the middle class.
I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This was better than the last, but nowhere near the first.
I don't know where this series went wrong, but with the first amazing book, the less than enjoyable second, and this marginally better Third, I don't know whether this series is worth keeping up with any more. I will most likely read the next instalments too, but I don't know where the potential that the first one had went.
This book actually had conflict, and angst, and actual character differences, so compared to the second one, this one was amazing. But compared to what drew me to this series, the first book, it still wasn't that good.
The plot is alright, but I honestly thought this was just going to be a trilogy, so it was a bit disappointing to see that nothing much ended up happening except that the most notorious and previously thought most dangerous criminal got caught. But now there's an even worse one, so we're more or less back to square one?
I like that this explored the way the members of the Dread Penny society were facing numerous problems with being able to tell their family members, but I would have liked the resolution in this book? I would have loved to see the ending actually including the decision and it's consequences at the end.
Vera and Brogan's romance was so many levels above Ana and Hollis, just because there was angst. I'm telling you, after The Gentleman and The Thief, I'll enjoy nearly everything if there's actual conflict; the book was just so boring. But this is not the review for that book, so you can go and read my grievances there.
The penny dreadfuls have gotten boring though? the first book ones were amazing, though I didn't i>love the vampire one; in the second book they were alright, but the gentleman and thief one seemed out of place because in the first Elizabeth was drawing inspiration form her life, but here she seems to be drawing inspiration from two other people's lives that she is not actually privy to, so it seems weird?; and in the third, the same problem was there, and in both the second and third book I didn't completely love the ones not by Mr. King.
The Dead Zoo one was okay, but the ending was like those creepy ones where you're left like WHAT OH NO like those Ruskin Bond ones where you realise 5 minutes after reading the ending the creepy meaning of what was actually happening. Or even Roald Dahl level ones. Or even those Enid Blyton short story endings, if you've read Anytime Tales or ones like that.
Honestly, my favourite parts of this book were when we had cameos of Elizabeth and Fletcher, so that should tell you a lot about how this ended up being.
The ending was not to my liking because it seemed really incomplete. We just left the story when we could have done with a couple more chapters to explain what happens next with Vera. And the other thing I didn't like about it was the permanency.
In both this book and the last, we end with a typical historical romance ending where the characters end up marrying but I loved the open ending of the first book a lot more. Fletcher and Elizabeth don't end up marrying and are still courting, and honestly that is the best ending because it subverts insta-love so well. And in both this and the last, the proposal seems too early and jarring compared to the voice of the first book.
I laughed so loud when he reason behind Vera's father's' hate were revealed, which was not the correct emotion to display but it was so funny somehow? Like of course this would be the reason, how else could this have possibly ended. In like a sarcastic way. But my BR partner agreed with me, so I think I'm not completely mad. Yet.
One the main likes for me about this series is that the characters are all middle class or middle class adjacent, which allows for a lot of other stories to be told than the typical historical romance involving earls, dukes, and marquesses.
On the whole, an alright book by itself, but not a very good sequel. I would recommend it to readers of this series, but to take this recommendation with a grain of salt because you might not find the magic of the first one in this. And also to anyone who likes the secret hidden identity trope, friends to lovers trope, historical romances that do focus on plot and do it somewhat well, and ones involving the middle class.
September 1, 2021
I read this for a historical romance vlog: https://youtu.be/Ja14Oap9rlU
A fun take take on historical romantic suspense that doesn't focus on the gentry! The Merchant and the Rogue follows a penny dreadful writer involved in a secret society that exists to fight for the poor and vulnerable. He goes undercover at a print shop owned by the father of our heroine, an immigrant from Russia.
This was a sweet, slow burn romance without a lot of internal conflict. A lot of the conflict is about someone threatening the neighborhood. What's cool about this is interspersed between chapters are parts of two penny dreadful suspense stories, one of which is written by the hero! That was a fun meta element and I liked the stories. If you want a historical romance that is low drama and not steamy, definitely check this one out! I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
A fun take take on historical romantic suspense that doesn't focus on the gentry! The Merchant and the Rogue follows a penny dreadful writer involved in a secret society that exists to fight for the poor and vulnerable. He goes undercover at a print shop owned by the father of our heroine, an immigrant from Russia.
This was a sweet, slow burn romance without a lot of internal conflict. A lot of the conflict is about someone threatening the neighborhood. What's cool about this is interspersed between chapters are parts of two penny dreadful suspense stories, one of which is written by the hero! That was a fun meta element and I liked the stories. If you want a historical romance that is low drama and not steamy, definitely check this one out! I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
August 15, 2021
‘London, 1865
Vera Sorokina loves reading the Penny Dreadfuls and immersing herself in tales of adventure, mystery, and romance. Her own days are filled with the often mundane work of running the book and print shop she owns with her father. The shop offers her freedom and an income, and while she is grateful for the stability it brings to her life, she often feels lonely.
Brogan Donnelly was born and raised in Ireland, but has lived in London for several years, where he’s built a career as a penny dreadful writer. He has dedicated himself to the plight of the poor with the help of his sister. But with no one to share his life with, he fears London will never truly feel like home.
Brogan and Vera’s paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from past experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at Vera’s print shop is aboveboard. When a growing criminal enterprise begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they’ve both grown to love. But that means they’ll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries.’
________________
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.
The Merchant and the Rogue is the third book in The Dread Penny Society series by Sarah M. Eden and is a clean historical romance and mystery.
The format of the books in the series are fairly unique in they consist of three stories woven together. There is the main mystery which features our main characters who work with the Dread Penny Society to help the poor and oppressed of London, then there is also two mini stories which take the form of Penny Dreadfuls, meant to be written by members of the Dread Penny Society. I like the unique format that the author utilizes for this series, I have found that it works fairly well, but I did find that I wasn’t intrigued by the Dread Penny chapters in this book, so they felt more like they were interrupting the narrative of the plot of the mystery than like they were adding to the intrigue of the book.
I have enjoyed Sarah M. Eden’s historical romances and I love a mystery subplot that adds danger and adventure to the book, so it feels like this series should be perfect for me but I’m really not feeling it and I think this might be the last book in the series which I read. I liked the first in the series even if I wasn’t really wowed by it, but I was still intrigued to see where the author would go with the series. When it came to the second book in the series, I found that it was okay but not nearly as compelling as the first book. Now I have read the third in the series and, though I enjoyed it about as much as the second book, I really had a hard time sticking with it and had to push myself to keep reading it. So therefore I think that the series is alright, but ultimately probably not for me so I will not be reading further. Although I will continue to read other books by this author, but sticking more with her romances.
_____
I would like to thank Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for sharing an eARC of The Merchant and the Rogue by Sarah M. Eden with me. This is my honest review.
Vera Sorokina loves reading the Penny Dreadfuls and immersing herself in tales of adventure, mystery, and romance. Her own days are filled with the often mundane work of running the book and print shop she owns with her father. The shop offers her freedom and an income, and while she is grateful for the stability it brings to her life, she often feels lonely.
Brogan Donnelly was born and raised in Ireland, but has lived in London for several years, where he’s built a career as a penny dreadful writer. He has dedicated himself to the plight of the poor with the help of his sister. But with no one to share his life with, he fears London will never truly feel like home.
Brogan and Vera’s paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from past experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at Vera’s print shop is aboveboard. When a growing criminal enterprise begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they’ve both grown to love. But that means they’ll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries.’
________________
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.
The Merchant and the Rogue is the third book in The Dread Penny Society series by Sarah M. Eden and is a clean historical romance and mystery.
The format of the books in the series are fairly unique in they consist of three stories woven together. There is the main mystery which features our main characters who work with the Dread Penny Society to help the poor and oppressed of London, then there is also two mini stories which take the form of Penny Dreadfuls, meant to be written by members of the Dread Penny Society. I like the unique format that the author utilizes for this series, I have found that it works fairly well, but I did find that I wasn’t intrigued by the Dread Penny chapters in this book, so they felt more like they were interrupting the narrative of the plot of the mystery than like they were adding to the intrigue of the book.
I have enjoyed Sarah M. Eden’s historical romances and I love a mystery subplot that adds danger and adventure to the book, so it feels like this series should be perfect for me but I’m really not feeling it and I think this might be the last book in the series which I read. I liked the first in the series even if I wasn’t really wowed by it, but I was still intrigued to see where the author would go with the series. When it came to the second book in the series, I found that it was okay but not nearly as compelling as the first book. Now I have read the third in the series and, though I enjoyed it about as much as the second book, I really had a hard time sticking with it and had to push myself to keep reading it. So therefore I think that the series is alright, but ultimately probably not for me so I will not be reading further. Although I will continue to read other books by this author, but sticking more with her romances.
_____
I would like to thank Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for sharing an eARC of The Merchant and the Rogue by Sarah M. Eden with me. This is my honest review.
August 16, 2021
I have been so excited since reading the first book in this series for Brogan to have his own story written. And let me tell you, it was very fulfilling and everything I'd hoped for.
If you haven't been following this series so far, you can read this as a stand-alone. But I do love the previous books so of course I'm going to encourage you to read those one as well. But, I know time is precious and sometimes you have to pick and choose what book to read. This one is my favorite of the three so far. Soooo good!!! And the Penny Dreadfuls written within this book, oh my word. My heart was pounding a little bit at the end of one of them (I'll let you read the book to figure that out). Great twists. And it has me wondering how it ties completely into the main story because the Penny Dreadfuls are written by our Dread Penny vigilantes and reflect bits of truth from their lives. Hmmm...
There's a big bad guy who has been elusive from the beginning of the series and the characters have been trying to find him and stop him. Brogan finds himself getting closer and closer. He also finds himself becoming more connected to a print shop and its proprietress. *smirk* Vera is charming. I love her care and concern for her fellow shop owners, friends and street urchins. She a Brogan are such a great duo. But there are some ups and downs in their future. The question is can they navigate those ups and downs, help save their neighbors, figure out who the bad guy is, protect each other and the street urchins, and maybe...just maybe let some feelings develop?
You guys! This book was seriously so much fun! I'm hooked by this series and the intricacies of it all. The Dread Penny vigilantes, the Penny Dreadful serial stories, the side characters, their back stories, their struggles and most definitely their strength in helping and caring for each other.
Grab a copy and read it!!! Then tell me what you think.
Content: Clean. Some mild peril. Some fight scenes that are not overly graphic. Some paranormal aspects in the Penny Dreadful stories (which is historically accurate). Some kisses but nothing further.
I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
If you haven't been following this series so far, you can read this as a stand-alone. But I do love the previous books so of course I'm going to encourage you to read those one as well. But, I know time is precious and sometimes you have to pick and choose what book to read. This one is my favorite of the three so far. Soooo good!!! And the Penny Dreadfuls written within this book, oh my word. My heart was pounding a little bit at the end of one of them (I'll let you read the book to figure that out). Great twists. And it has me wondering how it ties completely into the main story because the Penny Dreadfuls are written by our Dread Penny vigilantes and reflect bits of truth from their lives. Hmmm...
There's a big bad guy who has been elusive from the beginning of the series and the characters have been trying to find him and stop him. Brogan finds himself getting closer and closer. He also finds himself becoming more connected to a print shop and its proprietress. *smirk* Vera is charming. I love her care and concern for her fellow shop owners, friends and street urchins. She a Brogan are such a great duo. But there are some ups and downs in their future. The question is can they navigate those ups and downs, help save their neighbors, figure out who the bad guy is, protect each other and the street urchins, and maybe...just maybe let some feelings develop?
You guys! This book was seriously so much fun! I'm hooked by this series and the intricacies of it all. The Dread Penny vigilantes, the Penny Dreadful serial stories, the side characters, their back stories, their struggles and most definitely their strength in helping and caring for each other.
Grab a copy and read it!!! Then tell me what you think.
Content: Clean. Some mild peril. Some fight scenes that are not overly graphic. Some paranormal aspects in the Penny Dreadful stories (which is historically accurate). Some kisses but nothing further.
I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
August 21, 2021
THE PLOT GOT LOST
This was my second read in this series. The first one I found interesting and entertaining. This one... not so much. Especially the plot was a sore point for me. And I need a strong plot to really love a book.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Plot holes: I really felt like the plot was not fully developed. I detected several plot holes, which just lowered my opinion and made the story feel incomplete.
Overall plot: The overall plot with Vera and Brogan was very weak and got drowned out by the 'extra' stories featured in this book. It didn't feel strong enough to stand on its own.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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This was my second read in this series. The first one I found interesting and entertaining. This one... not so much. Especially the plot was a sore point for me. And I need a strong plot to really love a book.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Plot holes: I really felt like the plot was not fully developed. I detected several plot holes, which just lowered my opinion and made the story feel incomplete.
Overall plot: The overall plot with Vera and Brogan was very weak and got drowned out by the 'extra' stories featured in this book. It didn't feel strong enough to stand on its own.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Blog Post: 11 Ways to Get over a Reading Slump
July 22, 2021
The third installment of the Dread Penny Society is just as enjoyable as the first two! This one focuses on Brogan, the fun and friendly Irish member of the “Dreadfuls,” who gets to go rogue and take a hit against the criminal ring in their blackmailing and forgery endeavors. There are more terrific characters to meet and more to learn about the society members and the criminals they are up against.
I love the addition of two of the stories from members of this writing society. I love how they are interspersed through the rest of the novel. This is how people would have read them—one little chapter at a time and life goes on while they wait for the next one. These ones each had a bit of the supernatural about them. Brogan’s was especially darkly humorous (that ending, LOL!).
The Merchant and the Rogue is a wonderful addition to the series. It ends with a setup for the next novel in the series. I’m looking forward to it with great anticipation!
I love the addition of two of the stories from members of this writing society. I love how they are interspersed through the rest of the novel. This is how people would have read them—one little chapter at a time and life goes on while they wait for the next one. These ones each had a bit of the supernatural about them. Brogan’s was especially darkly humorous (that ending, LOL!).
The Merchant and the Rogue is a wonderful addition to the series. It ends with a setup for the next novel in the series. I’m looking forward to it with great anticipation!
August 17, 2021
Sarah M Eden is such an amazing author! I love the way she writes these. They have a regular story line and a couple of penny dreadfuls mixed in. It’s always fun to get to the spot with the penny dreadfuls and read the next installment, much like the street urchins who loved them so much in the story.
I loved getting to know a bit more about Brogan. He’s a member of the Dread Penny Society, at least as the book opens. Brogan is asked to kind of remove himself for a bit and work on a special project for the Dread Master. He’s asked to check out a merchant from Russia and see if he can figure out what’s going on. I loved this part of the story. It’s great how the mysteries in these all tie in to each other.
The merchant is Mr Sorokina who runs a print shop. But the one really running the shop is Vera. I loved her! Vera is the kind of woman who watches out for those around her. I loved how she let the street urchins help out around the shop to earn their penny dreadfuls. And how she organized her street to find out what was going on when everyone was being targeted.
I would make sure to read these in order. The Lady and the Highwayman is first, then The Gentleman and the Thief. The story continues in each of these.
I was sent a copy of The Merchant and the Rogue as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I loved getting to know a bit more about Brogan. He’s a member of the Dread Penny Society, at least as the book opens. Brogan is asked to kind of remove himself for a bit and work on a special project for the Dread Master. He’s asked to check out a merchant from Russia and see if he can figure out what’s going on. I loved this part of the story. It’s great how the mysteries in these all tie in to each other.
The merchant is Mr Sorokina who runs a print shop. But the one really running the shop is Vera. I loved her! Vera is the kind of woman who watches out for those around her. I loved how she let the street urchins help out around the shop to earn their penny dreadfuls. And how she organized her street to find out what was going on when everyone was being targeted.
I would make sure to read these in order. The Lady and the Highwayman is first, then The Gentleman and the Thief. The story continues in each of these.
I was sent a copy of The Merchant and the Rogue as a gift from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
August 17, 2021
It's always a good day when a new Sarah Eden book hits the world. This new installment in The Dread Penny Society series is a good one and everything you have come to expect from this author. I would highly recommend reading this series in order. The characters are all interwoven and connecting and the overarching story is growing with each book.
This story is gentle all the way around. Even in the midst of a climactic ending, the book still feels gentle. The story starts slowly, building with each chapter as we get to know Brogan and Vera better. Author Sarah Eden excels at writing believable characters that are well defined and purposeful. I can always root for them and that feels good. Brogan is a kind man and honestly? I think that might be a trait I am most attracted to. Kindness is underrated. Both Brogan and Vera are kind and strive to help those around them, actively. I adored them both.
As per usual in this series, the story is actually two stories because the men who star in this series are authors! It's a fun concept and also a unique one.
Content: mild peril, mild violence
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This story is gentle all the way around. Even in the midst of a climactic ending, the book still feels gentle. The story starts slowly, building with each chapter as we get to know Brogan and Vera better. Author Sarah Eden excels at writing believable characters that are well defined and purposeful. I can always root for them and that feels good. Brogan is a kind man and honestly? I think that might be a trait I am most attracted to. Kindness is underrated. Both Brogan and Vera are kind and strive to help those around them, actively. I adored them both.
As per usual in this series, the story is actually two stories because the men who star in this series are authors! It's a fun concept and also a unique one.
Content: mild peril, mild violence
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 13, 2021
This book is another fun installment in The Dread Penny Society. I love getting to know all characters better by delving into their stories. I love the way Eden weaves a tale and mingles it with the DPS authors writings--the reader is treated to a story within a story and it's a lot of fun.
The mystery and suspense fulfills their roles in this middle/lower class setting with an Irish flair. I love the way the characters slink around, playing roles, helping the less fortunate, and forming relationships, especially through their writing.
Vera and Brogan are fun and interesting characters. Through their efforts, changes (in many facets) emerge and I love the way they work together to uncover the nefarious activities of the merchants of London.
My only wish was for more romance. There was a dash, but I was hoping for a bit more, this being in the Proper Romance line.
Content: mild violence; very mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley. All opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.*
The mystery and suspense fulfills their roles in this middle/lower class setting with an Irish flair. I love the way the characters slink around, playing roles, helping the less fortunate, and forming relationships, especially through their writing.
Vera and Brogan are fun and interesting characters. Through their efforts, changes (in many facets) emerge and I love the way they work together to uncover the nefarious activities of the merchants of London.
My only wish was for more romance. There was a dash, but I was hoping for a bit more, this being in the Proper Romance line.
Content: mild violence; very mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley. All opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.*
February 23, 2021
This is book 3 in the Dread Penny Society and I really like how each character is getting their own story.
The social and political atmosphere of London in the 1860s was really prominent in this one. Of course, the Penny Dreadful authors are always involved and invested in doing what they can for those less fortunate, especially children.
Vera and Brogan begin with a friendship when he's hired to work at her father's print store, but because of his secret, the reader knows there will be a blow out sometime.
I liked seeing characters from the other books and how they all help each other.
As per usual of the series, the main story was flanked by penny dreadful stories that supplement the narrative.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
The social and political atmosphere of London in the 1860s was really prominent in this one. Of course, the Penny Dreadful authors are always involved and invested in doing what they can for those less fortunate, especially children.
Vera and Brogan begin with a friendship when he's hired to work at her father's print store, but because of his secret, the reader knows there will be a blow out sometime.
I liked seeing characters from the other books and how they all help each other.
As per usual of the series, the main story was flanked by penny dreadful stories that supplement the narrative.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
August 15, 2021
Another win for Sarah Eden. I absolutely adore this series and each one becomes a new favorite gem I will always treasure. Brogan and Vera are wonderful. They each have hard pasts and heart breaking stories to tell. As always the urchins that enter their lives are enduring characters and steal the show. And the penny dreadfuls are entertaining and spooky. The elusive Mastiff makes another appearance in this charming adventure full of surprises and page turning perfection. I love this authors books and each book shows her amazing writing skills.
July 14, 2021
I have been anxiously awaiting Brogan’s story and it was as captivating as I thought it would be. Brogan has such a loud, but quiet personality. I love reading about complex characters especially when they are good to the core, and Brogan is good to the core. As always with this series, I love the paralleled penny dreadful installments. I feel like they bring an extra level of suspense to the original and story that makes the main story really shine! I would say there is a little less romance in this than the others, but it fits with these characters personalities perfectly; and the swoony moments that come through are substantial! I’m thrilled to see what comes next with this series. I hope, hope, hope that we get Moirin’s story. I think her tale would be a story worth reading!
The books in this series could all be stand alone, but I think you’ll get more enjoyment reading them in order through the series. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
The books in this series could all be stand alone, but I think you’ll get more enjoyment reading them in order through the series. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
January 25, 2023
3.5 stars
Not a bad read, I think I was just nitpicking some. I really liked the first two books and I liked the characters here, but something just didn't click. I really don't think I'll be reading on.
Narrator is great though!
Not a bad read, I think I was just nitpicking some. I really liked the first two books and I liked the characters here, but something just didn't click. I really don't think I'll be reading on.
Narrator is great though!
July 8, 2021
Sarah M. Eden is a favorite author and I tend to love everything she writes. This series has been a fun departure from her Regency era romances and I give her kudos for this creative series. This story was somewhat different for me as a reader.
There are three stories in one in this book. The main story involves Brogan Donnelly, a less prominent member of the Dread Penny Society. He’s always been on the sidelines and views himself as a follower more than a leader, but he has a deep desire to help the poor and wants to make a meaningful life for himself and his sister. The two other stories are Penny Dreadfuls written by the members of the Dread Penny Society. One called The Dead Zoo is written by the main character Brogan and the other story is The Merchant and the Rogue written by Mr. King, from which the book derives its title.
The main story revolving around Brogan was my favorite of the three. This involved a beautiful Russian shopkeeper named Vera, Brogan’s feisty sister Moirin, some street savvy urchins, fellow members of the DPS, and the evil mastermind of the previous books, the Mastiff. Brogan obtains a job in Vera’s shop at the bequest of the Dread Master to find out more information about a supposed plot involving Vera’s father. At the same time, a group of thugs are terrorizing the merchants on Vera’s street. Are they connected? I enjoyed the romance between Vera and Brogan, but wanted a little more. Both characters are cautious and this made for a slow developing romance though they are both instantly attracted to one another.
The two penny dreadful stories included were enjoyably gothic. The Dead Zoo is a creepy story about a museum full of taxidermy animals that have been mysteriously disappearing. There is no sign of burglary and the flummoxed museum keeper decides to hire an investigator of self described great intellect named Amos to find out what is happening to the dead animals.
The Merchant and the Rogue is the story of Tallulah O’Doyle, a candy shop owner who moves to a new town and is threatened by a malevolent squire wearing a red cape and hat. She finds support in Royston Prescott, a charming haberdashery shop owner who has the reputation of a rogue. I liked The Merchant and the Rogue much more than The Dead Zoo. I felt like I connected more with the characters and found it a more compelling story.
There is a main theme woven throughout each of the stories. It is basically that we are more powerful when we stand together. In each one, when the characters work together they are able to overcome the problems plaguing them. The Dead Zoo is the exception and more of a cautionary tale of relying too much on your own intellect.
I enjoyed this latest book in the series. It could be read as a stand alone, but would be more meaningful if read as part of the series as there are reoccurring characters and situations. Having three stories in one was almost a little much. It felt like the main story needed more detail and the other stories were fun creepy tales, but not as compelling as the main story. All in all, it’s a creative gothic read that really captures the penny dreadfuls of the late 19th century. My rating for this book is 3 1/2 stars.
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.
There are three stories in one in this book. The main story involves Brogan Donnelly, a less prominent member of the Dread Penny Society. He’s always been on the sidelines and views himself as a follower more than a leader, but he has a deep desire to help the poor and wants to make a meaningful life for himself and his sister. The two other stories are Penny Dreadfuls written by the members of the Dread Penny Society. One called The Dead Zoo is written by the main character Brogan and the other story is The Merchant and the Rogue written by Mr. King, from which the book derives its title.
The main story revolving around Brogan was my favorite of the three. This involved a beautiful Russian shopkeeper named Vera, Brogan’s feisty sister Moirin, some street savvy urchins, fellow members of the DPS, and the evil mastermind of the previous books, the Mastiff. Brogan obtains a job in Vera’s shop at the bequest of the Dread Master to find out more information about a supposed plot involving Vera’s father. At the same time, a group of thugs are terrorizing the merchants on Vera’s street. Are they connected? I enjoyed the romance between Vera and Brogan, but wanted a little more. Both characters are cautious and this made for a slow developing romance though they are both instantly attracted to one another.
The two penny dreadful stories included were enjoyably gothic. The Dead Zoo is a creepy story about a museum full of taxidermy animals that have been mysteriously disappearing. There is no sign of burglary and the flummoxed museum keeper decides to hire an investigator of self described great intellect named Amos to find out what is happening to the dead animals.
The Merchant and the Rogue is the story of Tallulah O’Doyle, a candy shop owner who moves to a new town and is threatened by a malevolent squire wearing a red cape and hat. She finds support in Royston Prescott, a charming haberdashery shop owner who has the reputation of a rogue. I liked The Merchant and the Rogue much more than The Dead Zoo. I felt like I connected more with the characters and found it a more compelling story.
There is a main theme woven throughout each of the stories. It is basically that we are more powerful when we stand together. In each one, when the characters work together they are able to overcome the problems plaguing them. The Dead Zoo is the exception and more of a cautionary tale of relying too much on your own intellect.
I enjoyed this latest book in the series. It could be read as a stand alone, but would be more meaningful if read as part of the series as there are reoccurring characters and situations. Having three stories in one was almost a little much. It felt like the main story needed more detail and the other stories were fun creepy tales, but not as compelling as the main story. All in all, it’s a creative gothic read that really captures the penny dreadfuls of the late 19th century. My rating for this book is 3 1/2 stars.
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.
September 21, 2021
This is the third book in the Dread Penny Society but it can be read by itself. These books have the main storyline and two penny dreadfuls interspersed as the story is told. I don’t know how Sarah M. Eden manages to do that but I love getting three stories in one book!
Brogan Donnelly is a member of the Dread Penny Society, a secret society whose members help out those who can’t help themselves. He hates keeping secrets and telling half-truths to his sister Móirín which comes in handy when the Dread Master (I’m dying to know who it is) asked him to undertake a special assignment which would require Brogan to work alone. Brogan thinks of himself as more of a “foot soldier”, but accepts the assignment which is to find out more about a Russian print shop owner, Mr. Sorokin. Brogan gets a job helping around the shop and making deliveries, and discovers it’s Mr. Sorokin’s daughter Vera who pretty much runs the print shop.
There’s so much to love about his book. The relationship between Brogan and his sister Móirín, Brogan’s sense of humor, Vera and her kindness to the street urchins she hires to help around the shop so they can earn money to buy penny dreadfuls, of course Vera and Brogan and how great they are together, the list goes on and on.
I loved getting to learn more about Brogan and Móirín and their life before they came to London. I really liked the penny dreadfuls in the book, although one had me on the edge of my seat while reading it at night—there’s a reason I don’t watch scary movies. I’ve loved all the books in this series as the thread about the Mastiff and Four-Finger Mike runs through them all and it looks as if the DPS is getting closer to finding out who the Mastiff is!! If you'd like to read them in order the first book is The Lady and the Highwayman and the second is The Gentleman and the Thief.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Shadow Mountain, but also have a copy for my personal library. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Brogan Donnelly is a member of the Dread Penny Society, a secret society whose members help out those who can’t help themselves. He hates keeping secrets and telling half-truths to his sister Móirín which comes in handy when the Dread Master (I’m dying to know who it is) asked him to undertake a special assignment which would require Brogan to work alone. Brogan thinks of himself as more of a “foot soldier”, but accepts the assignment which is to find out more about a Russian print shop owner, Mr. Sorokin. Brogan gets a job helping around the shop and making deliveries, and discovers it’s Mr. Sorokin’s daughter Vera who pretty much runs the print shop.
There’s so much to love about his book. The relationship between Brogan and his sister Móirín, Brogan’s sense of humor, Vera and her kindness to the street urchins she hires to help around the shop so they can earn money to buy penny dreadfuls, of course Vera and Brogan and how great they are together, the list goes on and on.
I loved getting to learn more about Brogan and Móirín and their life before they came to London. I really liked the penny dreadfuls in the book, although one had me on the edge of my seat while reading it at night—there’s a reason I don’t watch scary movies. I’ve loved all the books in this series as the thread about the Mastiff and Four-Finger Mike runs through them all and it looks as if the DPS is getting closer to finding out who the Mastiff is!! If you'd like to read them in order the first book is The Lady and the Highwayman and the second is The Gentleman and the Thief.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Shadow Mountain, but also have a copy for my personal library. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read
March 24, 2021Review to come.
August 14, 2021
3.75 stars. Good story! Better review to come. I’m too tired 😂 I love Sarah Edens books, I think I just prefer her regency romances better.
September 2, 2021
The time has come for Brogan Donnelly to make a decision. While he loves the work the Dread Penny Society does to help the wretched poor of London, he can't keep lying to his sister about the secret writers' society. Either the Dreadfuls vote to approve a sister organization or he's out. Before the vote can happen, Brogan's mind is made up for him when the Dread Master himself sends a note ordering Brogan to pretend to resign his membership and go alone undercover to ferret out a plot involving the Russian ambassador. It seems as if their old enemy, Four-Fingered Mike is up to his dirty tricks again and needs to be caught and put behind bars for good this time. Brogan has never been a leader, only a follower. He's unsure what to do until his path takes him to Sorokin's print shop where they are in need of help. Vera Sorokina, Russian born, South London bred, loves reading penny dreadful serials, in spite of her father's opposition to writers. Vera understands how the little urchins of London adore the stories too and how the stories give them hope. While she'd like to give them books for free, the children have their pride and Vera and her father need money. She's come up with an effective solution to please everyone, except maybe her father who strongly objects to anything to do with writers. That puts Brogan in a tough spot so he assumes a false name and goes to work for Vera. Soon it becomes clear the neighborhood is in trouble. Can Brogan help? Is this new menace connected to his case with the Russian ambassador? Is Vera's father involved in the funny business and if so, how can he tell Vera, the woman he's grown to care about more than he should?
This is another fabulous entry in this unique series. It's almost but not quite as good as The Lady and the Highwayman but better than The Gentleman and the Thief. It's funny, heartwarming, suspenseful and romantic! I could hardly put it down. The plot is a little slower than the previous book but once it picks up, it's suspenseful and the action doesn't stop. I did not enjoy the penny dreadful serials between the chapters. Mr. Donnelly's is eerie but at first didn't seem like anything I hadn't read or seen before- until the shocking last chapter! Mr. King's story is way too scary and creepy! That one could cause nightmares. I did love the romance. I liked Brogan right away when I first met him and I knew I would like whatever lady he fell in love with and I was right. Their banter is witty, playful, and sweet. They compliment each other nicely and work well together. The misunderstanding worried me for a bit and I thought the plot might drag but things move along quickly and Brogan and Vera are forced to work together again. There's enough romance to satisfy me and anyone else who loves a heartwarming, sweet romance. I don't know why reviewers are saying there's not enough! Maybe because it's different and more low-key than Fletcher and Elizabeth but those two were in a different situation and continue to flirt throughout. Brogan can't really do that with Vera because he is technically her employee and that's not his style. This story is darker than the previous too but not any darker than I'm able to handle. Everyone has different triggers though I would caution readers to not except a drawing room comedy and the usual Victorian romance tropes. There's a lot of violence.
At first I thought Brogan was an Irish charmer and similar to Fletcher who I WOULD describe as a rogue. I don't see Brogan as a rogue though. He's had a very difficult past. His childhood effectively ended with the Irish potato famine which killed his parents. Brogan and his sister barely survived the mean streets of Dublin only to be forced to flee for their lives to London where he doesn't quite feel comfortable. Brogan's past broke my heart and made me want to hug him! Unlike Fletcher, Brogan is a softy at heart. He's a total sweetheart- a lover, not a leader. He suffers from a lot of self-doubt, perhaps from being the YOUNGER brother of the fierce Móirín or perhaps from being an immigrant, or both. Brogan feels things deeply and always wants to make things right but doesn't know how. He cares about the urchins, the poor, the middle class, his friends. He worries a lot about what the other Dreadfuls will think of him. Gosh, he just needs lots of hugs! He'd probably squirm away and be bashful about his warmth but he does need someone to love him unconditionally.
Vera is pretty great. She's kind, curious and intelligent. Like Brogan, she has a big heart and wants to help everyone. Vera's childhood is something of a mystery to her and she doesn't feel a strong connection to her Russian heritage. She identifies more with her South London upbringing than either Russia or the Soho neighborhood where she lives now. Because she grew up in a rough area, it makes her more compassionate for the urchins she meets. I love how she understands their needs and wants and makes sure they get what they need and want. Vera is also compassionate towards her neighbors. Seeing the same people every day, she learns about their lives and how some of them are extremely downtrodden. While Vera and her Papa don't have much money, the neighbors have less. Vera will always give of her time and she's a leader too. Vera is so strong and brave. What happened to the neighborhood happened in New York too, a little later, so I wasn't at all surprised but I was pleased and surprised to see how Vera rose to the challenge of protecting her neighborhood with a little encouragement from Brogan. They need each other to bring out their strengths.
Vera's Papa leaves a lot to be desired. He's grumpy and hates writers. Why? What happened back in Russia that he has an avowed hatred of writers and writing? Yet, he continues to run a print shop. He's very confusing. His story was rather surprising and kind of ridiculous but maybe not unheard of. I looked up the history and it was a real thing! The urchins are the best secondary characters. I love their names: Bob's Your Knuckle, Licorice, Burnt Ricky and Olly. Olly is the most adorable. He loves penny dreadfuls and isn't afraid to try something new. I love Olly an Licorice's relationship. It's a great thing to see these two urchins bond like that even if they're annoying. The kids are too funny and lighten the mood of the story.
I enjoyed getting to know Brogan's sister Móirín better. I loved her right away in Lady and I love her even more. She's tough and fierce but she loves her brother and wants him to be happy at whatever life he chooses. My heart went out to her when she told her story and it's not an uncommon one that could have ended differently. It makes me angry that that happened to her and yet she's the one to blame. Unsurprising but horrible just the same.
The Dreadfuls are back! Fletch makes a few cameo appearances but only one with Elizabeth, who also has a solo cameo. I was hoping for more of the two of them together. Fletcher may consider himself an overgrown urchin but he's also a good friend. I think he recognizes a kindred soul in Brogan and of course, he alone communicates with the Dread Master, so Fletch knows what's going on. I missed his charm and flirtation with Elizabeth though. She's very perceptive and seems to see more of what's going on than anyone realizes if her story is anything to go by. I think she's been associating with Móirín a lot more or their one meeting made an impression on Elizabeth! Who is the Dread Master? Originally I assumed it was Fletch himself but now I think it's Stone. Stone, a former enslaved man, now fights for justice and freedom. I can picture him and hear him in my mind. It's easy, him being a huge Black man from New Orleans! Plus he's very transparent about who he is and what he wants. It's kind of obvious from the color of his skin and his accent. He doesn't fit in and doesn't try because he can't. He chooses to stay in his adopted country and fight for what's right. Doc Mulligan is a bit mysterious. He's kind of brusque and unfriendly. I don't get any warmth or charm from him. He's just all business. Yet he must have some feelings because he seems like he feels betrayed by Brogan's defection. I sense a great heartache in his past, one we will learn about in the next book. Hollis Darby is back. About to be married to Ana, he hasn't given up on the Dreadfuls. He provides wisdom and assistance when needed. I like his personality. He seems a bit looser and happier now he's helped the Dreadfuls more. Martin, Lafayette Jones and Chandan Kumar round out the cast of Dreadfuls and I look forward to learning about them more in the next book.
The villains are terrifying. Sadly these types exist in real life and sadly the authorities often do look the other way or are involved. Sarah M. Eden really does her research to set the scene and create nasty villains. The situation in Soho and indeed the seedier parts of London has become much more dangerous. I gasped at one point late in the story and was on the edge of my bed wondering if the villains would prevail. I don't usually go for these types of stories but as long as it all ends happily, I'm OK with it.
I can't gush enough about Sarah M. Eden and this series. I look forward to the next one and in the meantime, I can't wait to head back to the Regency era and visit with the Jonquils.
content:
Violence
peril
injuries
arson
explosions
mention of sexual harassment in veiled Victorian terms
mention of past murder
This is another fabulous entry in this unique series. It's almost but not quite as good as The Lady and the Highwayman but better than The Gentleman and the Thief. It's funny, heartwarming, suspenseful and romantic! I could hardly put it down. The plot is a little slower than the previous book but once it picks up, it's suspenseful and the action doesn't stop. I did not enjoy the penny dreadful serials between the chapters. Mr. Donnelly's is eerie but at first didn't seem like anything I hadn't read or seen before- until the shocking last chapter! Mr. King's story is way too scary and creepy! That one could cause nightmares. I did love the romance. I liked Brogan right away when I first met him and I knew I would like whatever lady he fell in love with and I was right. Their banter is witty, playful, and sweet. They compliment each other nicely and work well together. The misunderstanding worried me for a bit and I thought the plot might drag but things move along quickly and Brogan and Vera are forced to work together again. There's enough romance to satisfy me and anyone else who loves a heartwarming, sweet romance. I don't know why reviewers are saying there's not enough! Maybe because it's different and more low-key than Fletcher and Elizabeth but those two were in a different situation and continue to flirt throughout. Brogan can't really do that with Vera because he is technically her employee and that's not his style. This story is darker than the previous too but not any darker than I'm able to handle. Everyone has different triggers though I would caution readers to not except a drawing room comedy and the usual Victorian romance tropes. There's a lot of violence.
At first I thought Brogan was an Irish charmer and similar to Fletcher who I WOULD describe as a rogue. I don't see Brogan as a rogue though. He's had a very difficult past. His childhood effectively ended with the Irish potato famine which killed his parents. Brogan and his sister barely survived the mean streets of Dublin only to be forced to flee for their lives to London where he doesn't quite feel comfortable. Brogan's past broke my heart and made me want to hug him! Unlike Fletcher, Brogan is a softy at heart. He's a total sweetheart- a lover, not a leader. He suffers from a lot of self-doubt, perhaps from being the YOUNGER brother of the fierce Móirín or perhaps from being an immigrant, or both. Brogan feels things deeply and always wants to make things right but doesn't know how. He cares about the urchins, the poor, the middle class, his friends. He worries a lot about what the other Dreadfuls will think of him. Gosh, he just needs lots of hugs! He'd probably squirm away and be bashful about his warmth but he does need someone to love him unconditionally.
Vera is pretty great. She's kind, curious and intelligent. Like Brogan, she has a big heart and wants to help everyone. Vera's childhood is something of a mystery to her and she doesn't feel a strong connection to her Russian heritage. She identifies more with her South London upbringing than either Russia or the Soho neighborhood where she lives now. Because she grew up in a rough area, it makes her more compassionate for the urchins she meets. I love how she understands their needs and wants and makes sure they get what they need and want. Vera is also compassionate towards her neighbors. Seeing the same people every day, she learns about their lives and how some of them are extremely downtrodden. While Vera and her Papa don't have much money, the neighbors have less. Vera will always give of her time and she's a leader too. Vera is so strong and brave. What happened to the neighborhood happened in New York too, a little later, so I wasn't at all surprised but I was pleased and surprised to see how Vera rose to the challenge of protecting her neighborhood with a little encouragement from Brogan. They need each other to bring out their strengths.
Vera's Papa leaves a lot to be desired. He's grumpy and hates writers. Why? What happened back in Russia that he has an avowed hatred of writers and writing? Yet, he continues to run a print shop. He's very confusing. His story was rather surprising and kind of ridiculous but maybe not unheard of. I looked up the history and it was a real thing! The urchins are the best secondary characters. I love their names: Bob's Your Knuckle, Licorice, Burnt Ricky and Olly. Olly is the most adorable. He loves penny dreadfuls and isn't afraid to try something new. I love Olly an Licorice's relationship. It's a great thing to see these two urchins bond like that even if they're annoying. The kids are too funny and lighten the mood of the story.
I enjoyed getting to know Brogan's sister Móirín better. I loved her right away in Lady and I love her even more. She's tough and fierce but she loves her brother and wants him to be happy at whatever life he chooses. My heart went out to her when she told her story and it's not an uncommon one that could have ended differently. It makes me angry that that happened to her and yet she's the one to blame. Unsurprising but horrible just the same.
The Dreadfuls are back! Fletch makes a few cameo appearances but only one with Elizabeth, who also has a solo cameo. I was hoping for more of the two of them together. Fletcher may consider himself an overgrown urchin but he's also a good friend. I think he recognizes a kindred soul in Brogan and of course, he alone communicates with the Dread Master, so Fletch knows what's going on. I missed his charm and flirtation with Elizabeth though. She's very perceptive and seems to see more of what's going on than anyone realizes if her story is anything to go by. I think she's been associating with Móirín a lot more or their one meeting made an impression on Elizabeth! Who is the Dread Master? Originally I assumed it was Fletch himself but now I think it's Stone. Stone, a former enslaved man, now fights for justice and freedom. I can picture him and hear him in my mind. It's easy, him being a huge Black man from New Orleans! Plus he's very transparent about who he is and what he wants. It's kind of obvious from the color of his skin and his accent. He doesn't fit in and doesn't try because he can't. He chooses to stay in his adopted country and fight for what's right. Doc Mulligan is a bit mysterious. He's kind of brusque and unfriendly. I don't get any warmth or charm from him. He's just all business. Yet he must have some feelings because he seems like he feels betrayed by Brogan's defection. I sense a great heartache in his past, one we will learn about in the next book. Hollis Darby is back. About to be married to Ana, he hasn't given up on the Dreadfuls. He provides wisdom and assistance when needed. I like his personality. He seems a bit looser and happier now he's helped the Dreadfuls more. Martin, Lafayette Jones and Chandan Kumar round out the cast of Dreadfuls and I look forward to learning about them more in the next book.
The villains are terrifying. Sadly these types exist in real life and sadly the authorities often do look the other way or are involved. Sarah M. Eden really does her research to set the scene and create nasty villains. The situation in Soho and indeed the seedier parts of London has become much more dangerous. I gasped at one point late in the story and was on the edge of my bed wondering if the villains would prevail. I don't usually go for these types of stories but as long as it all ends happily, I'm OK with it.
I can't gush enough about Sarah M. Eden and this series. I look forward to the next one and in the meantime, I can't wait to head back to the Regency era and visit with the Jonquils.
content:
Violence
peril
injuries
arson
explosions
mention of sexual harassment in veiled Victorian terms
mention of past murder
August 9, 2021
Maybe 3.5 stars
Brogan Donnelly has been summoned by the acting head of the Dread Penny Society – a secret group of “penny dreadful” authors in London who work together as vigilantes to combat crime and help the less fortunate. Brogan loves being a member but has struggled with the rule that he must keep his membership and activities secret, which means lying to his sister Moirin. When Brogan arrives at his meeting, he is shocked to learn that the Dread Master, the actual yet unknown leader of the group, was the one who summoned him. The Dread Master wants Brogan to take a mission, but it will require him to act alone and without the DPS’s help, furthermore, he will have to “resign” from the group. His mission is to learn what connection the Russian ambassador has to the group’s archenemy – The Mastiff and his henchman Four-Finger Mike and to an immigrant Russian printer in Soho. Brogan accepts the mission, but doesn’t feel up to the task and is unhappy about the lies he will have to tell his co-members. As luck would have it when Brogan goes to the printer’s shop, they are looking for help and he applies for the job, which will hopefully allow him to find out what the printer is up to and how it relates to the ambassador.
Vera Sorokina runs The Sorokin Print Shop with her father. Although she was born in Russia, her family fled when she was young and England is the only home she has ever known. She runs the shop which not only does printing, but sells supplies and much to her father’s disgust – Penny Dreadful novels. Her father hates authors, he blames them for his banishment from Russia, a hatred that he has instilled in Vera. So when Brogan applies for the job, he gives a fake name – Ganor O’Donnell. Vera hires him and immediately feels a connection. Ganor and Vera become friends, they discuss the Penny Dreadfuls, politics, and life as immigrants – her feeling for him grow, how can then not when he buys her roast chestnuts, it kind to the urchins she “hires”, and when an extortion scheme comes into play, he supports her efforts to unite the other shop owners.
Brogan is falling hard for Vera and hates the lies that stand between them, he needs to finish his mission and then hopefully find a way to reveal the truth to Vera without breaking the DPS rules and hope that she will forgive his deception. But when someone tells her who he really is, she is hurt and cuts their ties without revealing she has learned the truth. Although heartbroken, her decision to send him away actually leads to him finding the connection between her father and the ambassador that he was sent to find. He takes the evidence and leaves but is not ready to give up on a future with Vera. He just needs to solve this mystery and then find a way to win back the woman he loves…
This was a very interesting story, it was actually three stories in one, as two “Penny Dreadful” novels are interspersed throughout the book. The writing was good, but I did find the addition of the other novels a bit distracting and their placement at times broke the “flow” of the actual story. Also, the book ends a bit abruptly and I would have liked a bit more closure, but I have to assume the things left hanging will be addressed in future installments. What I did like was the connection between Vera and Brogan, it was very well done and I truly felt and believed their love connection, the mysteries were also nicely executed and the author did a great job of tying everything together for a grand climax. For readers who prefer a “no-contact” romance – this book is for you, there is nothing beyond a kiss in this story and while I usually prefer a bit more steam, I didn’t feel the lack in this book. This is the third book in the series, but I hadn’t read the previous books and had no problems starting mid-series.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
Brogan Donnelly has been summoned by the acting head of the Dread Penny Society – a secret group of “penny dreadful” authors in London who work together as vigilantes to combat crime and help the less fortunate. Brogan loves being a member but has struggled with the rule that he must keep his membership and activities secret, which means lying to his sister Moirin. When Brogan arrives at his meeting, he is shocked to learn that the Dread Master, the actual yet unknown leader of the group, was the one who summoned him. The Dread Master wants Brogan to take a mission, but it will require him to act alone and without the DPS’s help, furthermore, he will have to “resign” from the group. His mission is to learn what connection the Russian ambassador has to the group’s archenemy – The Mastiff and his henchman Four-Finger Mike and to an immigrant Russian printer in Soho. Brogan accepts the mission, but doesn’t feel up to the task and is unhappy about the lies he will have to tell his co-members. As luck would have it when Brogan goes to the printer’s shop, they are looking for help and he applies for the job, which will hopefully allow him to find out what the printer is up to and how it relates to the ambassador.
Vera Sorokina runs The Sorokin Print Shop with her father. Although she was born in Russia, her family fled when she was young and England is the only home she has ever known. She runs the shop which not only does printing, but sells supplies and much to her father’s disgust – Penny Dreadful novels. Her father hates authors, he blames them for his banishment from Russia, a hatred that he has instilled in Vera. So when Brogan applies for the job, he gives a fake name – Ganor O’Donnell. Vera hires him and immediately feels a connection. Ganor and Vera become friends, they discuss the Penny Dreadfuls, politics, and life as immigrants – her feeling for him grow, how can then not when he buys her roast chestnuts, it kind to the urchins she “hires”, and when an extortion scheme comes into play, he supports her efforts to unite the other shop owners.
Brogan is falling hard for Vera and hates the lies that stand between them, he needs to finish his mission and then hopefully find a way to reveal the truth to Vera without breaking the DPS rules and hope that she will forgive his deception. But when someone tells her who he really is, she is hurt and cuts their ties without revealing she has learned the truth. Although heartbroken, her decision to send him away actually leads to him finding the connection between her father and the ambassador that he was sent to find. He takes the evidence and leaves but is not ready to give up on a future with Vera. He just needs to solve this mystery and then find a way to win back the woman he loves…
This was a very interesting story, it was actually three stories in one, as two “Penny Dreadful” novels are interspersed throughout the book. The writing was good, but I did find the addition of the other novels a bit distracting and their placement at times broke the “flow” of the actual story. Also, the book ends a bit abruptly and I would have liked a bit more closure, but I have to assume the things left hanging will be addressed in future installments. What I did like was the connection between Vera and Brogan, it was very well done and I truly felt and believed their love connection, the mysteries were also nicely executed and the author did a great job of tying everything together for a grand climax. For readers who prefer a “no-contact” romance – this book is for you, there is nothing beyond a kiss in this story and while I usually prefer a bit more steam, I didn’t feel the lack in this book. This is the third book in the series, but I hadn’t read the previous books and had no problems starting mid-series.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
August 13, 2023
brogan donnelly, love of my life ❤️
April 20, 2023
If you want some peril and intrigue with a light mysterious tone plus straightforward, angst-free sweet romance, this series is for you, my friend. All within this no-fail fun format of one main romance storyline amongst the fascinating world of a society of authors/ vigilantes and two intriguing penny dreadful secondary storylines. We have the ginger jokester foot soldier with a hidden past sent on a solo undercover mission that leads him right to the Russian printer’s spine of steel daughter. I loved our charming Irishman Brogan’s arc of going from believing himself just a follower to a solid hero in his own right and found so lovely how he’s at the same time championing his Vera to come into her own leadership qualities. Plus it’s always straight to Swoontown for me when a hero with a brogue pulls out the heart-melting smile and calls her “lass” like it’s no big deal, so not disapponted at all in that respect, let me tell you.
And yet, that’s three for three, so far in the series, of practically zero internal conflict couples, and I personally prefer more tension, push and pull obstacles in my romance. If the threat or mystery or the progression of relationship depth doesn’t hook me to balance the lack of it, then the unputdownable factor is low for me. Hence, though I never considered not pushing through, it took me comparatively forever to finish this book. While I liked seeing our Irish lad find a fellow inmigrant lady love and the rallying of the working class merchants, the whole scenario that leads to Brogan going rogue felt a bit contrived, and it caused the sorely missed Dreadfuls to show up less. Though this was not a favorite sweeping romance, I would never not recommend this absolute fun Victorian series. This served well to ramp up anticipation for fiery scene-stealing Moírín’s HEA, build up even more to the Dreadfuls’ forthcoming criminal underworld “storm” and get me even more excited for the next book which is the one I’ve most been looking forward to. On to the good doctor!
Content notes: kissing only, mention of assault, mention of parent death, mention of self-defense killing, children in danger, threat to life, mild self-defense violence.
And yet, that’s three for three, so far in the series, of practically zero internal conflict couples, and I personally prefer more tension, push and pull obstacles in my romance. If the threat or mystery or the progression of relationship depth doesn’t hook me to balance the lack of it, then the unputdownable factor is low for me. Hence, though I never considered not pushing through, it took me comparatively forever to finish this book. While I liked seeing our Irish lad find a fellow inmigrant lady love and the rallying of the working class merchants, the whole scenario that leads to Brogan going rogue felt a bit contrived, and it caused the sorely missed Dreadfuls to show up less. Though this was not a favorite sweeping romance, I would never not recommend this absolute fun Victorian series. This served well to ramp up anticipation for fiery scene-stealing Moírín’s HEA, build up even more to the Dreadfuls’ forthcoming criminal underworld “storm” and get me even more excited for the next book which is the one I’ve most been looking forward to. On to the good doctor!
Content notes: kissing only, mention of assault, mention of parent death, mention of self-defense killing, children in danger, threat to life, mild self-defense violence.
August 29, 2021
I loved this book! I could end my review right there and that should say enough but I won't. This is the third book in The Dread Penny Society Series and now it's my favorite. I love the main characters, Irish-born Brogan Donnelly, his sister Moirin, and Russian-born Vera Sorokina. They all have had difficult lives with mysterious pasts. By this time in the series, readers know who the "bad" guys are and they are still up to no good. Brogan, a Dread Penny Writer of "The Dead Zoo", is called to go undercover at Vera's father's print shop. Once there he can't help but get involved in Vera's life, the community being extorted by a mystery enterprise, and the urchin children working in Vera's shop.
I loved how three mysteries were going on in this book. You had the extortion ring in Vera's community, and the two Penny Dreadfuls, The Dead Zoo, and The Merchant and the Rogue that held my interest throughout. I really liked the inclusion of both of the outside stories in this novel. They are also included in the first two books but are different stories. It was fun trying to figure out everything and I read this book pretty fast.
Sarah Eden has fun with this Victorian-era novel based on Middle and Lower class people of this era. I feel it's refreshing to have a break from the upper class of that time period. Brogan and Vera have a slow build romance that has many ups and downs. They do have a very saucy banter that gives needed humor and gaiety to this novel amongst its serious parts. It was of course nice to have all of the characters we met in the first two books show up as well. The saga of the evil Mastiff is heating up and the DPS is gearing up to try and take him down in the next book.
If you love Eden's books, then you'll love this third Dread Penny Society installment, The Merchant and the Rogue. You are always going to have a well-crafted novel to read when Sarah M. Eden is the author.
I loved how three mysteries were going on in this book. You had the extortion ring in Vera's community, and the two Penny Dreadfuls, The Dead Zoo, and The Merchant and the Rogue that held my interest throughout. I really liked the inclusion of both of the outside stories in this novel. They are also included in the first two books but are different stories. It was fun trying to figure out everything and I read this book pretty fast.
Sarah Eden has fun with this Victorian-era novel based on Middle and Lower class people of this era. I feel it's refreshing to have a break from the upper class of that time period. Brogan and Vera have a slow build romance that has many ups and downs. They do have a very saucy banter that gives needed humor and gaiety to this novel amongst its serious parts. It was of course nice to have all of the characters we met in the first two books show up as well. The saga of the evil Mastiff is heating up and the DPS is gearing up to try and take him down in the next book.
If you love Eden's books, then you'll love this third Dread Penny Society installment, The Merchant and the Rogue. You are always going to have a well-crafted novel to read when Sarah M. Eden is the author.
March 3, 2021
Ah, the Dread Penny Society, I just don't know what to do with you. Your stories are always solidly three star books until the last third, when the romance and action pick up and I end the book liking you enough to pick up the next.
I requested The Merchant and the Rogue after I read the first book in this series, which started slow but picked up at the end, assuming that the rest of the series would continue the delightfulness of the end of the first. Unfortunately, the Merchant and the Rogue was even rougher at the beginning than the others. I would read a couple of pages, put it down, and not pick it up again for a couple of days. Brogan was the thing that kept me reading. He was a wonderful hero, and my favorite so far in the series. I felt pretty neutral about Vera; I didn't dislike her, but she didn't charm me.
What I really didn't like about this book was that there was no resolution in the mystery (just in the romance) and the penny dreadful stories. I just did not enjoy the penny dreadful stories in this one and they significantly slowed down the reader's progress in the plot. I regret that the author takes up so much of the space in the book with them. I get that it's cool to actually SHOW us the style of literature the story is talking about, but they're boring and I don't understand why we need two of them besides the main story.
I maintain that these books have great potential. Will I continue reading the series? Probably, because I just finished one and always end up liking the books at the end. They're stories about good people doing good things with lovely little romances, so I don't have a problem recommending them.
I read an ecopy ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to leave a positive review and all opinions are my own.
I requested The Merchant and the Rogue after I read the first book in this series, which started slow but picked up at the end, assuming that the rest of the series would continue the delightfulness of the end of the first. Unfortunately, the Merchant and the Rogue was even rougher at the beginning than the others. I would read a couple of pages, put it down, and not pick it up again for a couple of days. Brogan was the thing that kept me reading. He was a wonderful hero, and my favorite so far in the series. I felt pretty neutral about Vera; I didn't dislike her, but she didn't charm me.
What I really didn't like about this book was that there was no resolution in the mystery (just in the romance) and the penny dreadful stories. I just did not enjoy the penny dreadful stories in this one and they significantly slowed down the reader's progress in the plot. I regret that the author takes up so much of the space in the book with them. I get that it's cool to actually SHOW us the style of literature the story is talking about, but they're boring and I don't understand why we need two of them besides the main story.
I maintain that these books have great potential. Will I continue reading the series? Probably, because I just finished one and always end up liking the books at the end. They're stories about good people doing good things with lovely little romances, so I don't have a problem recommending them.
I read an ecopy ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to leave a positive review and all opinions are my own.
August 18, 2021
***4.5 stars***
Sarah M. Eden has crafted another winning book. It is so much fun to read. The authors of the Penny Dreadfuls are still out saving others. This time it is Brogan with his own story. He shares it with Vera, her father owns a publishing shop and she runs it while he runs the printing press.
Vera is in her own right amazing. She takes the street children under her wing by giving them odd jobs to do around the shop and help provide them a way to purchase their very own installments of the penny dreadful publications. She does this although the shop is struggling.
This is where Brogan comes on the scene. He is under assignment for the Dread Master and is investigating on his own. Fortunately, this brings him in contact with Vera. Their effortless banter and work ethic make them mighty main characters. They both like to help unfortunate children.
There is a villain on the scene who is threatening the livelihood of the community. He uses extortion and threats to cause mayhem. Together Brogan and Vera work to bring down the villain and save the businesses in the district. They have help from family and friends. It reminds me that people can make a difference when they unite in a common cause.
The insert of the Penny Dreadful stories is wonderful. The stories go right along with the book. It adds another dimension to the story and is a nice interlude from the main story.
This is the third installment of a series but can be read as a stand-alone. I would highly recommend all of the books. They are well written and fun to read.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
P.S. I also purchased a copy for my personal library.
Sarah M. Eden has crafted another winning book. It is so much fun to read. The authors of the Penny Dreadfuls are still out saving others. This time it is Brogan with his own story. He shares it with Vera, her father owns a publishing shop and she runs it while he runs the printing press.
Vera is in her own right amazing. She takes the street children under her wing by giving them odd jobs to do around the shop and help provide them a way to purchase their very own installments of the penny dreadful publications. She does this although the shop is struggling.
This is where Brogan comes on the scene. He is under assignment for the Dread Master and is investigating on his own. Fortunately, this brings him in contact with Vera. Their effortless banter and work ethic make them mighty main characters. They both like to help unfortunate children.
There is a villain on the scene who is threatening the livelihood of the community. He uses extortion and threats to cause mayhem. Together Brogan and Vera work to bring down the villain and save the businesses in the district. They have help from family and friends. It reminds me that people can make a difference when they unite in a common cause.
The insert of the Penny Dreadful stories is wonderful. The stories go right along with the book. It adds another dimension to the story and is a nice interlude from the main story.
This is the third installment of a series but can be read as a stand-alone. I would highly recommend all of the books. They are well written and fun to read.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
P.S. I also purchased a copy for my personal library.
August 27, 2021
The Merchant and the Rogue is book three of The Dread Penny Society series by Sarah M Eden.
Though this is my first book by Eden and the only book I have read in the series, I still enjoyed this book as a stand-alone.
The main story revolves around Vera Sorokina who works in a book and print shop with her father, and Brogan Donnelly who is an Irish immigrant, a penny dreadful writer, and a vigilante fighting for the children in the streets of London. These characters are a delight to read with their banter, and a mini romance brewing. The addition of the mystery element of figuring out the terror affecting the merchants was a wonderful addition to the story.
I really enjoyed the writing and the main characters with depth and history - I especially enjoyed reading about a strong female character, who was an immigrant from Russia that is set during a time when the class system viewed foreigners as inferiors.
Overall I was so pleased to finally read a wonderful historical fiction in the Penny dreadful series.
Though this is my first book by Eden and the only book I have read in the series, I still enjoyed this book as a stand-alone.
The main story revolves around Vera Sorokina who works in a book and print shop with her father, and Brogan Donnelly who is an Irish immigrant, a penny dreadful writer, and a vigilante fighting for the children in the streets of London. These characters are a delight to read with their banter, and a mini romance brewing. The addition of the mystery element of figuring out the terror affecting the merchants was a wonderful addition to the story.
I really enjoyed the writing and the main characters with depth and history - I especially enjoyed reading about a strong female character, who was an immigrant from Russia that is set during a time when the class system viewed foreigners as inferiors.
Overall I was so pleased to finally read a wonderful historical fiction in the Penny dreadful series.
July 13, 2021
The Merchant and the Rogue, the third book in Sarah M. Eden's Dread Penny Society series, has a lot to offer when it comes to intriguing characters, Victorian culture, Irish folklore, and London street smarts. Although I found the story very compelling, it took me a while to get into and I found myself taking a lot of pauses. The addition of two dread penny serials was a little much and seemed to interrupt the story instead of adding to it. The romance between Brogan and Vera fell flat. I had hoped for more, especially from two very lovable characters.
Although this particular book left me disappointed, I think it is a mark of Eden's talent that she can create worlds and characters that feel so real. I will keep reading and looking forward to her books!
Although this particular book left me disappointed, I think it is a mark of Eden's talent that she can create worlds and characters that feel so real. I will keep reading and looking forward to her books!
September 2, 2021
Ssssssqqqqquuuuuueeeeeeeppppp! That's me squealing and eeping in a fangirling extravaganza of bookish glee because I LOVE this series soooooooo much! I was so eager for The Merchant and the Rogue's release that this was another audible preorder for me.
Justine Eyre is the fantabulous narrator who brings an extra zip to an already unputdownable...er unable-to-stop-listening...read. She does all the voices so well -- from a dreamy Irish brogue to street urchin slang and everything in between. I've been collecting this series on audible and will continue to because of Justine Eyre! But the book covers are so gorgeous I think I'll have to purchase back up print copies too. :-)
This is the third book in Eden's Dread Penny Society series and, while I think it would read fine as a standalone, you'll get so much more out of the society and the Penny Dreadful aspects of the story if you read the books in order. Plus, they're brilliant fun so why wouldn't you want to read them all? :-)
In case you go ahead and dive into the series via this one, here's the basics you need to know:
1) The Dread Penny Society is a group (a wonderful cross section of society) of Penny Dreadful authors who work 'undercover' to rescue London's downtrodden. They have nefarious enemies who will go to any lengths to ensure they don't succeed so cue the heart-tripping mood music and settle in for some intrigue and action.
2) Penny Dreadfuls were serialized stories told with atmospheric flare including mysteries and the paranormal and published in weekly installments.
Each of the Dread Penny Society books include two Penny Dreadful tales along with the main story which makes it so much fun! Loved all the Irish references in this one. And, yay for a dashing Irish hero who thinks he's anything but dashing. Brogan considers himself as a foot soldier among a society of leaders and I love how he got his chance to shine in his very own story.
The romance is sweet, slowly percolating in the background and just when you think it can't get more perfect...splat...that potential happily-ever-after takes a nose dive. Great romantical pacing with the perfect balance of highs and lows.
Add some intrigue in the form of some truly despicable villains and the stand-up-and-cheer moment when they are defeated and, well, I'm just gobsmacked and blissfully happy. Even if the suspense isn't totally wrapped up in a neat little bow because that means more Dread Penny Society books in my future! Woohoo!!!!!
Justine Eyre is the fantabulous narrator who brings an extra zip to an already unputdownable...er unable-to-stop-listening...read. She does all the voices so well -- from a dreamy Irish brogue to street urchin slang and everything in between. I've been collecting this series on audible and will continue to because of Justine Eyre! But the book covers are so gorgeous I think I'll have to purchase back up print copies too. :-)
This is the third book in Eden's Dread Penny Society series and, while I think it would read fine as a standalone, you'll get so much more out of the society and the Penny Dreadful aspects of the story if you read the books in order. Plus, they're brilliant fun so why wouldn't you want to read them all? :-)
In case you go ahead and dive into the series via this one, here's the basics you need to know:
1) The Dread Penny Society is a group (a wonderful cross section of society) of Penny Dreadful authors who work 'undercover' to rescue London's downtrodden. They have nefarious enemies who will go to any lengths to ensure they don't succeed so cue the heart-tripping mood music and settle in for some intrigue and action.
2) Penny Dreadfuls were serialized stories told with atmospheric flare including mysteries and the paranormal and published in weekly installments.
Each of the Dread Penny Society books include two Penny Dreadful tales along with the main story which makes it so much fun! Loved all the Irish references in this one. And, yay for a dashing Irish hero who thinks he's anything but dashing. Brogan considers himself as a foot soldier among a society of leaders and I love how he got his chance to shine in his very own story.
The romance is sweet, slowly percolating in the background and just when you think it can't get more perfect...splat...that potential happily-ever-after takes a nose dive. Great romantical pacing with the perfect balance of highs and lows.
Add some intrigue in the form of some truly despicable villains and the stand-up-and-cheer moment when they are defeated and, well, I'm just gobsmacked and blissfully happy. Even if the suspense isn't totally wrapped up in a neat little bow because that means more Dread Penny Society books in my future! Woohoo!!!!!
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