Review: The Bachelor and the Bride by Sarah M. Eden

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

London, 1866

Dr. Barnabus Milligan has always felt called to help people, whether that means setting a broken bone or rescuing the impoverished women of London from their desperate lives on the streets as part of his work with the Dread Penny Society.

Three years ago, he helped rescue Gemma Kincaid by secretly marrying her to protect her from her family of notorious grave robbers.

But six months after Gemma and Barnabus exchanged vows, she realized her love for her new husband was unrequited. To protect her heart, she left, telling Barnabus to contact her if his feelings for her ever grew beyond a sense of duty.

When Barnabus sends a letter to Gemma inviting her to return home, she hopes to find a true connection between them. But unfortunately, he only wants her help to foil the Kincaids, who have been terrorizing the boroughs of London, eager to gain both money and power.

Heartbroken, Gemma agrees to help, but she warns Barnabus that she will not stay for long, and once she goes, he'll never see her again.

Yet as the couple follows the clues that seem to connect the Kincaids to the Mastiff, the leader of London's criminal network, Gemma and Barnabus realize they might make a better match than either of them suspected. Perhaps the marriage that had once saved Gemma's life might now save Barnabus—and his lonely heart.

But before the once-confirmed bachelor can properly court his secret bride, they'll need to evade the dangerous forces that are drawing ever closer to the hopeful lovers and the entire Dread Penny Society itself.

My Review

Another exciting installment in the Dread Penny Society! I love how the women in their lives are becoming increasingly involved in helping, and they are looking for a way for them to officially serve, perhaps in a sister organization. Gemma and Barnabus have a complex relationship, yet it is simple enough- Gemma loves Barnabus, but won't stay with him unless he truly wants her as well. He is so focused on his career as a doctor that there is no room in his heart, or so he thinks. It takes some help for him to properly recognize and identify the feelings he has when Gemma is around, and though these two have a rocky road, especially with communication, the investigation into Gemma's family draws them closer together than ever before. The plot is intricately woven and Barnabus and the other members of the Dread Penny Society have difficulty staying one step ahead of the criminal network. There's a bit of a teaser and reveal leading into the next book and I'm so excited for it! Like the other books in the series, there is a penny novel woven into the chapters, yet I have a difficult time being drawn into those stories so I tend to skim or skip them, focusing instead on the main plot of the book.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

 

Don't miss the previous books in The Dread Penny Society series . . .