Title: The Blushing Bounder
Author: Meljean Brook
Series: The Iron Seas #0.4
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Pirates, Steampunk romance
Dates read: 25th April 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: Ahead of them, she saw the springing machine, bounding, bounding, bounding beneath the roof of the striped tent.

While the search for a killer puts Constable Newberry’s life in danger, he faces a danger of another kind: to his heart, by the woman forced to marry him. What will it take for this prudish bounder to convince his wife to stay?

This is a fun little short story, and it provides a great background into the idea of bounders in the realm of The Iron Seas. Constable Newberry seems to be kind of a bastard at the beginning. One that tricked a woman into marrying him for the worst possible reasons. And one that you kind of want his come-uppance to happen to.

But then you start to get glimpses of the man (all told from the point of view of his wife, Temperance). And you start to realise that he’s actually not the douche you thought he was. Rather, he’s kind of a giant, loveable red head with the tendency to blush whenever he’s uncomfortable.

I love that in the beginning I viewed Constable Newberry as a villain, but by the end of the story, he was an incredibly sweet man and one that I can’t wait to know more about. Which is perfect, because he features in The Iron Duke alongside Mina, the female lead.

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Here There Be Monsters Review ->

Image source: Meljean Brook