He is a gentleman. She is a thief. A love story full of compassion, secrets, and adventure.
The Gentleman and the Thief by Sarah M. Eden is an adventurous historical romance with a wide range of exciting characters, including a perishable (you will have to read the book to find out what I’m talking about).
It is book #2 in the Dread Penny Society series but can be read as a standalone.
Our thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing, Austenprose, and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.
Book Details
Print Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Shadow Mountain (November 3, 2020)
Language: English
ASIN : B08KFLFV6S
Book Description
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 business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced the family 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 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, but working together deepens the affection between them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?
From the Publisher’s Blurb
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Review
Anna used to be in society but became a teacher after her father’s business was ruined.
Hollis was the second son in a family that did not manage its fortune well and had to fend for himself without appearing to be doing so.
Both of them held secrets. Anna was a teacher by day and a thief by night. Hollis was the perfect gentleman, but secretly a writer of cheap literature called penny dreadfuls.
Both characters were charming. Anna was strong and perseverant. She did not make excuses for her actions, was very focused and relentless.
Hollis was so warm and sweet, a gentleman through and through.
The story is full of adventure, with some crime-related subplots and very intriguing side characters.
I especially enjoyed the two full penny dreadful stories included in between the chapters. Higglebottom’s School for The Dead was light and fun, and The Gentleman and the Thief was innocent and romantic.
This was my first book by the author, but I’m looking forward to reading more of her stories.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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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.
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Sounds like a great book, love the artwork on the cover.
♥ Mae
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Thanks, sweetie! 😉
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I enjoyed her Lady and the Highwayman. I didn’t realize it was a series. Thanks.
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I read this one as a standalone but I want to read the first one as well. Thanks for your comment 😉
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This sounds fun, nice review.
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Thank you, Carla!
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