Review: Merchant and the Rogue

 

 The Merchant and the Rogue by Sarah M. Eden

Publication Date: 8/17/21

Paperback

ISBN: 9781629728513

Retail Price: $15.99

Page Count: 368

Victorian Romance / Dread Penny Society #3

Cover Art: alex74 /Shutterstock.com;

MariLila / Shutterstock.com;

a_zhytkova / Shutterstock.com

Book Design: © Shadow Mountain

Art Direction: Richard Erickson

Design: Heather G. Ward

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.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great addition to the series. I like learning more about the Irish brother and sister. I liked learning more about the printing and the shop keepers. I loved the street children and how both Vera and Brogan looked out for them. I loved Vega and Brogan together - how they fell into an easy friendship that blossomed into something more. I love the Penny Dreadful society and catching up with the members. The Penny Dreadfuls were fun too! I'm so curious to see where the next book takes us in terms of the storm coming and how it all worked out. 

* While you could read this as a stand-alone, it's MUCH better if you read the series in order for the bigger picture storylines. 

© Annalisa Photography

About the Author:

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today best-selling author of witty and charming historical romances, including 2019’s Foreword Reviews INDIE Awards Gold Winner for Romance, The Lady and the Highwayman, and 2020 Holt Medallion finalist, Healing Hearts. She is a two-time “Best of State” Gold Medal winner for fiction and a three-time Whitney Award winner. Combining her obsession with history and her affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting deep characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library.

Advanced Praise:

 “Eden continues to build the overarching mystery and skillfully handles secrets and secret identities. Interspersed chapters of Penny Dreadfuls delightfully foreshadow the main action. Readers who enjoy chaste romances and also love a good mystery will enjoy the Dread Penny Society exploits and will look forward to what comes next.”

—Booklist

 Book Trailer:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqCjtMNlDZc

 Author Interview:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qfRjFpdzZ8

 

NYT Best-Seller Goal:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpD_XfPmvYg

https://shadowmountain.com/merchant/