The Merchant and the Rogue Review and Blog Tour

QUICK FACTS

Title: The Merchant and the Rogue: Proper Romance Victorian

Author: Sarah M. Eden

Series: Book 3 in The Dread Penny Society

Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Mystery/Suspense, Inspirational Fiction

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing (August 17, 2021)

Length: (368) pages

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1629728513

Audiobook ASIN: B0921TS4TF

eBook ASIN: B098TVLLM7

Previous Books in the Series: The Lady and the Highwayman (2019) & The Gentleman and the Thief (2020)

Tour Dates: August 16 – 29, 2021

BOOK DESCRIPTION

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 the freedom and income to employ and protect the poverty-stricken Londoners she's come to care about, and it gives her father something to do other than long for their hometown of St. Petersburg. She is grateful for the stability in their lives, but 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. His membership in the secretive Dread Penny Society allows him to feel he isn't entirely wasting his life, yet he feels dissatisfied. With no one to share his life with but his sister, 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 experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at her print shop is aboveboard. When the growing criminal enterprise run by the elusive and violent Mastiff 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 REVIEW

I believe this is my favorite of the Dread Penny Society books yet. Brogan is amazing and I love Vera. I also love how the overarching mystery is slowly ramping up, providing answers and yet more questions at the same time. I love the mysteries and how they play in the story.

The writing in this book is masterful. I enjoyed the Penny Dreadfuls that were shared alongside the story. They add so much to the historical timeline. It is one thing to read about authors and quite another to read their works as you read about them. It adds an additional layer to these fantastic stories and gives a glimpse of Victorian England unlike any other I've read.

The concept behind these books is fantastic and draws a reader in. They characters keep the reader invested in the story. The mystery makes it impossible to put down. The multiple layers are enough to keep me thoroughly captivated and enthralled in the story. It leaves me wanting more with each installment. While these can be read on their own, the series together supplies a rich world of storytelling that should be read in its entirety.

I received an early copy from the publisher and through netgalley. This is my honest review.

AUTHOR BIO

Sarah M. Eden is the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning Proper Romance series novels including The Lady and the Highwayman and Ashes on the Moor. Combining her passion for history and an affinity for love stories, Sarah crafts smart, 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.

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TOUR BLURB

Join the virtual book tour of THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUE, Sarah M. Eden’s highly acclaimed historical romance, August 16-29, 2021. Thirty-five popular on-line influencers specializing in historical romance, mystery/suspense, and inspirational fiction will join in the celebration of its release with a spotlights, exclusive excerpts, and reviews of this new Victorian-era novel set in London, England.