About the Book:
A
gentleman scribes penny dreadful novels by night and falls in love with a woman
who is a music teacher by day—and a thief at night.
LONDON 1865
From
the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he’s smitten. Even though he’s from
a wealthy, established family and she isn’t, he wishes he could have a life
with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: the deep coffers that have kept
his family afloat for generations are bare, so he supports himself by writing
penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he
would be broke.
Ana Newport also has a secret. Though she once had a place in society thanks to
her father’s successful business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced his fortune to
nothing more than a crumbling town house. So Ana teaches music during the day,
and at night she assumes the identity of the “Phantom Fox.” She breaks into the
homes of the wealthy to reclaim trinkets and treasures she feels were unjustly
stolen from her family when they were struggling.
When Hollis’s brother needs to hire a music tutor for his daughter, Hollis
recommends Ana, giving him a chance to spend time with her. Ana needs the
income and is eager for the opportunity to get to know the enigmatic gentleman.
What neither of them expects is how difficult it will be to keep their
respective secrets from each other.
When a spree of robberies rocks the city, Ana and Hollis join forces to solve
the crimes, discovering that working together deepens the affection between
them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?
My Thoughts: I really do enjoy this series and it seems like there is at least one more book coming. (I hope that's the case because I have more questions.) I Liked seeing characters from the previous books. I love the Dread Penny Society. I want to read more about the other members. And yes, I would love a sisterhood society. I loved Very Merry and her entertaining ways. I loved that both Ana and Hollis wanted more from life - more than people gave them credit for being able to do. I really liked Ana and her relationship with her father. Of course I liked her double life. I loved the banter between Hollis and his friends. I hope to see much more of them soon. And I find the penny dreadfuls most entertaining. Looking forward to the next installment!
Library Recommendation: A fun series for your public library's collection. Give out to readers of mysteries and romances.
About
the Author:
Sarah M. Eden is
a USA Today best-selling author of historical romances. Her previous
Proper Romance novel Longing for Home won the Foreword Reviews 2013
IndieFab Book of the Year award for romance. Hope Springs won the 2014
Whitney Award for “Best Novel of the Year,” and Ashes on the Moor was a
Foreword Reviews 2018 Book of the Year silver medalist for romance.
Combining her obsession
with history and an affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting
witty characters and heartfelt romances. She happily spends hours perusing the
reference shelves of her local library and dreams of one day traveling to all
the places she reads about. Sarah is represented by Pam Pho at D4EO Literary
Agency. Visit Sarah at
www.sarahmeden.com
Advanced Praise:
"The real joy in Eden's follow-up to The Lady and the Highwayman
(2019) is the furthering of the overarching crime story and the work of the
Dread Penny Society as Hollis and Ana pursue a chaste romance. Eden excels at
exploring the realities of Victorian life and class differences. Once again,
chapters of penny dreadfuls written by the characters are interspersed
throughout, with Hollis' story about a school for ghosts offering particular
delight. Fans of Eden's smart series will be thrilled and impatient for the
next installment."
-Booklist, starred review
"Gentility wears a burglar’s mask in The Gentleman and the Thief, a
proper romance set in the criminal underworld of Victorian London. Charming,
suggestive, and featuring rich historical details, The Gentleman and the Thief
has the elements of a gritty, juicy penny dreadful."
-Foreword Reviews
Book Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCMtywcH-GU
Book Details:
Paperback Publication Date: 11/3/20
ISBN: 9781629727905
Retail Price: $15.99
Page Count: 368
Proper Romance / Victorian
Book Design: © Shadow Mountain
Cover art: Nimaxs/Shutterstock.com
RODINA OLENA/Shutterstock.com
mis-Tery/Shutterstock.com
Art Direction: Richard Erickson
Design: Heather G. Ward
