BEAUTY AND THE CLOCKWORK BEAST Steampunk Proper Romances, Book 1

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld deftly sets the atmospheric stage for Allen's Steampunk Proper Romance, moving effortlessly between genres and characters. When Lucy Pickett comes to Blackwell Manor to look after her ailing cousin, she doesn't expect to find ghosts roaming the hall--not to mention Lord Blackwell himself, scowling and inhospitable. While this is a chaste read, Maarleveld nonetheless captures the crackling sexual tension between Lucy and Lord Blackwell, making it entirely believable. This hybrid of steampunk, romance, and mystery has some of the "Beauty and the Beast" elements promised by the title, but it's more of a reimagining than a retelling. It's a strong story that skillfully combines many disparate elements, making one hope that more books will take place in this intriguing world. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2016]