Of Silk and Steam
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4.4 • 26 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
In the mist-shrouded streets of London, revolution is on the rise, vampires with ice-cold blood in their veins rule the streets, and war is brewing…
When her beloved father was assassinated, Lady Aramina swore revenge. The man responsible is well beyond her grasp, but his dangerously seductive heir, Leo Barrons, is fair game. When a bit of political intrigue gives Mina the evidence she needs to prove Leo is illegitimate, she has the means to destroy both the killer and his son—a man who troubles her heart and tempts her body.
A woman of mystery, Mina's long driven Leo crazy with glimpses of a fiery passion that lurks beneath her icy veneer. He knows she's hiding something, and he's determined to unravel her layer by silken layer. He just doesn't expect the beautiful liar to be the key to overthrowing the corrupt prince consort…or to saving his own carefully walled-off heart.
The stakes have never been higher: Mina has sworn revenge for her father's death, but the man she plans to destroy could be her own undoing…or the salvation of all London.
Customer Reviews
I can’t wait to take some time for ME – and read all of the earlier books in this series
I’ve admittedly got some catching up to do with this title, and it did take me some time to understand all of the connections to earlier events and characters in the story, but Aramina and her nemesis to lover Leo were delicious to follow as they unraveled their own connections and feelings.
McMaster starts this story with a bang: espionage, political intrigue, secrets, danger and adventure as both characters and readers are sorting out who did what. Amina is angry and hurting, so Leo, the son and heir of the man who murdered her father is an apparently easy target. But, she has duties and obligations to the Queen, and her own desires may have to take a back seat. With the Prince Consort a bit of a bad egg, ok, a huge insane ball of evil, the question of his removal and the Queen’s continued leaning to the Humanist movement – political machinations are fraught with danger and duplicity.
Leo has a seat on the council of Dukes, but is not without his own secrets that could surely ruin him. Illegitimate and wholly committed to removing the Prince Consort from power, he needs Amina. And, it doesn’t hurt that he’s always found her intriguing, but there is the pesky matter of the revenge Amina seeks.
But, when Leo meets Amina’s animosity and distrust with kindness and courtesy, asking her opinion and honestly appreciating her input, poor Amina is utterly confused. And little by little she starts to reveal bits about her history and her place in the larger picture. During these small revelations, she finds an attraction to Leo that she didn’t expect, and isn’t sure she wants to fight.
The development of a romantic relationship between the two was beautifully detailed and layered with emotion, sensuality, heat and palpable attraction. Add to that the political machinations, the secrets and twists and the story is a winner just for that.
McMaster takes it one step further in the world-building though: alternate Victorian London is replete with wonderful mechanical twists, a touch of magic and a city that is familiar but oh so new in all the best ways. I can’t wait to take some time for ME – and read all of the earlier books in this series. I would suggest if this is a new series for you – that you do the same!
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.