All quite positive! Thank you all for reading and buying!
What at first seems like a fun, magic infused mystery, turned out to be quite a bit more. Joan is seemingly bound by not only her social status, but also her family obligations, and not only does magic mean a way out, it helps to gives her the courage to assert herself and take control of her destiny. There is a bit of light romance, but this is Joan’s journey, and the steampunk-tinged setting of Victorian London (and the clothes, oh, the clothes!) is icing on the cake.
This is a fun introduction to what promises to be a very entertaining steampunk series featuring atypical main characters. I greatly enjoyed the focus on different cultures as it contrasts with the challenge of dealing with a society that is stratified by magic. This gives a very different view of historical England as it deals with both the complications and progress made as industrialization progresses plus the struggle to gain equality for women.
4 and 4 1/2 Star Reviews on Amazon.com:
“illustrates the author’s wondrous facility at creating a compelling and imaginative story.”
“Joan is a strong heroine and Sherringford is a man of mystery. The plot sucks you in deeply and quickly. Be prepared to read the book in one sitting!”
“Lawson has managed to incorporate both genres into a multi-layered world uniquely her own. After the midpoint I couldn’t put it down.”
And some blogs with exclusive excerpts from the last two weeks:
Revelry: Curse of the Brimstone Contract at Coffee Time Romance
World Building: Setting is Character at the Science Fiction Romance Brigade
Reader’s Day: Superhero Celebration at Samhain Publishing
Release Day Excerpts at Samhain Publishin
Happy Reading!