Review: Gilded Lily by Delphine Dryden

Gilded Lily by Delphine Dryden
Series: Steam and Seduction, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Steampunk Romance
ISBN: 9780425265796
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Frédérique Murcheson’s introduction into society hasn’t gone smoothly—some would even call it a disaster. Only Freddie considers her debut a success. Her scheme to become a makesmith has gone off flawlessly. The only thing that could upset her plans now would be if someone discovered that brilliant tinker Fred Merchant is, in fact, a lady in disguise.

Wooing a spoiled heiress is not exactly Barnabas Smith-Grenville’s idea of high espionage. However, considering his brother disappeared on the job, supposedly into the most iniquitous of opium dens, he cannot expect much better. At least the assignment will afford him time to search for his brother, whom he suspects is in spy-related trouble rather than a drug-addled haze.

But when Freddie proves to be both irresistible and the key to the answers he seeks, Barnabas finds himself not only entwined in a scandalous mystery involving lethal submersibles and deranged dirigibles, but also in a dangerous game of the heart…

Gilded Lily is my favorite Steam and Seduction book to date! Author Delphine Dryden has delivered an exciting steampunk adventure with original characters and fast-paced plots that will delight many a reader.

Freddie is a woman ahead of her time. She’s more comfortable fixing machines in trousers than dancing the night away in a gown. I loved her ingenuity and spunk, and wanted to see her find someone who could keep up with her and would appreciate Freddie for who she truly is. Barnabas is definitely that hero. He’s knocked off his stride by Freddie and is clearly out of his depth in the world of espionage, but he doesn’t let that stop him. He’s flat-out adorable (though not in a childish way) and I just loved that he was both unique and blessedly average. The growing attraction between Barnabas and Freddie charmed me and their romance was simply lovely to watch develop.

Gilded Lily also features my favorite Steam and Seduction villain so far. Newly risen drug lord Rollo Furneval was a fully developed character in his own right and I found him as interesting as Freddie and Barnabas. The interweaving of the opium smuggling, Atlantis Station, cuttlefish, and the missing Smith-Grenville brother plotlines made the pages of Gilded Lily fly by. Add in Ms. Dryden’s delightful inventions and it’s clear to see why I thoroughly enjoyed this third Steam and Seduction outing. Gilded Lily is pure fun from beginning to end and I hope Ms. Dryden has a story in store for Phineas Smith-Grenville!


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Read More

Review: Scarlet Devices by Delphine Dryden

Scarlet Devices by Delphine Dryden
Series: Steam and Seduction, Book 2
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Steampunk Romance
ISBN: 9780425265789
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Fresh from university, Eliza Hardison is determined to crusade for workers’ rights until her cousin Dexter, the Makesmith Baron, prevails on her to represent Hardison House in the American Dominion Sky and Steam Rally.

The competition is fierce, but only one opponent really matters to Eliza. Dexter’s protégé, Matthew Pence, was always like a big brother to her. But now she’s grown up, and Matthew has made a break from Hardison House with his own business venture—and made his own entry in the rally.

Matthew intends to win while keeping Eliza safe on the perilous route from New York to San Francisco. As the threats escalate through treacherous skies and uncharted American wilds, though, Eliza and Matthew must work together, discovering a bond deeper than either could have imagined…but is winning the rally more important than winning at love?

It’s a race across the American Dominions in Delphine Dryden’s imaginative Scarlet Devices. This second outing for the Steam and Seduction series features an exciting land and air race with technological wonders that will spark your imagination. As with the first Steam and Seduction story, Gossamer Wing, I greatly enjoyed Ms. Dryden’s alternate history America and her characters’ unique steampunk creations.

At the center of Scarlet Devices are Eliza Hardison and Matthew Pence. Eliza is a Vassar grad with dreams of changing the world. But for all her theories and good intentions, Eliza knows little of the real world. With the encouragement of her cousin and his wife, she breaks out of her comfort zone to participate in the Sky and Steam Rally. I liked Eliza’s intelligence and pluck, and it was interesting to watch her grow as a character over the course of the story. As for Matthew, he’s an inventor with a quick mind and a protective bent. He’s known Eliza all her life and at the request of his friend and former employer (Eliza’s cousin), he plans to watch over Eliza during the rally. I liked Matthew, but he definitely underestimated Eliza and it was nice to see him realize her potential. Eliza and Matthew have a natural chemistry that comes from being lifelong friends, but their romance was the weak point for me in Scarlet Devices. Their romance starts out understated to the extreme and then jarringly goes into high gear – I wish it had been a bit more organic, as it almost felt like an afterthought to the excitement going on around Eliza and Matthew.

A dastardly drug lord villain adds danger to Scarlet Devices, keeping the story moving at a quick clip. Add in some interesting secondary characters and appearances by past and future Steam and Seduction protagonists, and you have a solidly entertaining read. All in all I enjoyed Scarlet Devices and I’m looking forward to reading the next Steam and Seduction novel, Gilded Lily.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Read More

Review: Gossamer Wing by Delphine Dryden

Gossamer Wing by Delphine Dryden
Series: Steam and Seduction, Book 1
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Steampunk Romance
ISBN: 9780425265772
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

As both the daughter and the widow of spies, Charlotte Moncrieffe is determined to use her training, skills, and unique dirigible to become a spy herself. Though her father objects, Charlotte is determined to serve the Crown by recovering documents her late husband hid at the Palais Garnier during the last war with France. There’s just one problem. Her father – in a bid to keep Charlotte from engaging in espionage – has convinced her superiors that Charlotte must not go to France without a proper cover. And that cover involves marriage to inventor Dexter Hardison, known as the Makesmith Baron.

Dexter only knows Charlotte through letters, but he’s fascinated by the unusual widow. When he strikes a bargain that could further his own research, he doesn’t expect to find himself falling hard and fast for his new wife. The passion he feels for Charlotte is tempered by her insistence that their marriage will only last the length of the mission. Dexter’s determined to convince her to give their relationship a chance, but can he get through the walls she’s built around her heart? If a rogue spy and a dangerous megalomaniac have their way, neither Dexter nor Charlotte will live long enough to find out.

A world of possibilities await you in Gossamer Wing. Delphine Dryden has created an imaginative universe filled with plausible technological marvels and wonderfully creative steampunkery. I was intrigued by Ms. Dryden’s alternate-history America, one where the U.S. lost the Revolutionary War and is still under British rule. The alternate-history aspect of the story added a level of uniqueness to Gossamer Wing, particularly since the story features spies.

World building aside, Gossamer Wing features two protagonists who are innately likeable. Charlotte is an intelligent, headstrong woman, and the death of her first husband on their honeymoon forever changed her. She’s determined to gain closure through her first fieldwork assignment and nothing and no one will stop her. She’s thrown for a loop, however, by Dexter. It’s impossible for her to resist the big bear of a man; physically and intellectually, he attracts her. Dexter’s inventiveness, sensuality, and patience make him a sigh-worthy hero. He’s a great match for Charlotte, but it isn’t easy for her to accept that they could have a real marriage (though I admit I didn’t always understand her logic).

Gossamer Wing is the first Steam and Seduction novel, and though it wasn’t quite as engaging as I’d have liked (I never felt emotionally invested in the story or the characters), I definitely can’t wait to read the next book, Scarlet Devices. If Gossamer Wing is anything to go by, Ms. Dryden’s world building is sure to be a gift to readers that keeps on giving.

Read More