The Bachelor and the Bride (Proper Romance Victorian), By Sarah M. Eden, Shadow Mountain, Sept. 6, 2022, Paperback, $15.99 (young adult/ new adult/ adult fiction)
Fans of the Dread Penny Society rejoice. The latest novel in the series, The Bachelor and the Bride, by Sarah M. Eden, is now out.
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. —Synopsis provided by Shadow Mountain
The Bachelor and the Bride is the fourth book in Eden’s Victorian romance series. While all four books — including The Lady and the Highwayman, The Gentleman and the Thief and The Merchant and the Rogue — can technically stand alone, the latest offering proves they really should be read in order.
The Bachelor and the Bride deviates slightly from previous books in the series in that Gemma and Barnabus are already married. And yet, they are similarly two people with seemingly different interests and backgrounds. And as the book progresses, you realize the two are more alike than previously thought.
While the romance part of the ending is fairly predictable — as with all the books in Shadow Mountain’s Proper Romance line — this time around, there’s a huge twist at the ending that will have fans of the series clamoring for the next book.
Like the other Dread Penny Society books, The Bachelor and the Bride is all about the journey. Gemma and Barnabus are likeable characters. Though their relationship begins as an arranged marriage of sorts, they both see the advantages of it. Gemma’s wish for deep affection pairs well with Barnabus’ stumbling discovery that feelings of love are already there.
Their love story grows against the backdrop of mystery and adventure. As the stakes get higher, the couple realizes only that by joining forces will they succeed.
Author Sarah M. Eden’s Victorian world is well-developed and intriguing. Her prose both fits the time period and feels accessible to a modern audience. Her chaste romance is one parents won’t mind handing off to their older teens.
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