Title: Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City
Author: Meljean Brook
Series: The Iron Seas #1.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Pirates, Steampunk romance
Dates read: 30th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: When he left, Geordie asked me to ‘Take Billy.’

Eight months after The Iron Duke, can their marriage survive a new danger?

After Mina is called in to investigate the murder of an aristocratic bounder, her husband Rhys—known to the world as the Iron Duke—must overcome his fear for his new bride before his need to protect her tears them apart. But when she invites him to join her at the murder scene, a search for a mysterious killing machine puts her in more danger than ever before…a danger that leads straight back to Rhys.

One of the most frustrating things that I tend to find about paranormal romance stories are that you don’t really find out how they live their lives after they ride off into the sunset, happily ever after. It’s all well and good to have that amazing story about passion and fire and those first, loving moments together when everything finally fits. But that isn’t entirely realistic… there is another kind of love, when the fiery passions become a slow burn that continues over the years. So the fact that there is a novella about Mina and Rhys 8 months after they get married… I was much happier and more settled in their happiness.

Although this story is very much about settling into a new way of life, and understanding what it means to love another, there is also a great secondary story. Like The Iron Duke there is a bit of a mystery as to who the villain truly is. And a bit of a risk lingering for both of the primary characters. One that you know is going to come to head fairly quickly. It gave the story a little more pressure and spice than just an insight into the daily lives of this unique couple. And one that made it impossible to put down this novella… even though I really, really needed to sleep.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: The Iron Duke
Author: Meljean Brook
Series: The Iron Seas #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Pirates, Steampunk romance
Dates read: 26th – 29th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: And he wished to hell that he’d realized earlier why the red giant always followed her.

After freeing England from Horde control, Rhys Trahaearn, the Iron Duke, has built a merchant empire on the power – and fear – of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

With Horde blood running through Mina’s veins, becoming Rhys’s lvoer would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents Mina from avoiding him… and the Iron Duke’s ruthless pursuit makes him difficult to resist.

When Mina discovers the victim’s identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. Now, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans – as Mina is tempted to give up everything for the Iron Duke.

To start with I was a bit maybe not about this story. the lead male was just so damn possessive… and well, quite frankly irritating. He couldn’t even begin to imagine being told no. By anyone. Let alone the woman he’s fixated on. I love a lover who is a little possessive and protective… but not one that is so possessive that his partner is a possession rather than, well, a partner. In the first few chapters, Rhys actually made me want to put this book down. But, as the story developed, I steadily fell more and more in lust with him. Found him more and more enthralling and wanted to read the story far more keenly than I had anticipated.

Although Rhys bothered me from the very beginning, Mina made me fall completely in love. She was a strong, independent woman. With a lot of vulnerability. Especially when her history is bought up. It made the tough, cop exterior far more gooey and sweet on the inside. Actually, it was Mina’s plight and willingness to walk away from true love to save others that made me unwilling to put this book down. Incredibly unwilling, I wanted to know who the villain behind the murder was, but mostly I wanted Mina to have her happily-ever-after. Especially after she takes on a kraken…

Other than the great love story in this novel, I absolutely adore the genre. I already have a rapidly growing steampunk collection. Adding in romance just makes me want to read it even more passionately. And making the characters into steampunk pirates… well, that is a series absolutely made in heaven. Actually, I’m really disappointed that there aren’t many more novels in this series… I want a whole heap more steampunk pirates running riot through my bookshelves.

Image source: Meljean Brook