One thousand ladies want his attention. He only wants one. Too bad he doesn’t know her name.Eschewing his privileged life as heir to an automaton empire, William Ashton, Jr. spends his days diving into research and pining for the young woman who frequents his branch of the NYPL. Until one careless word from his mother leaves him with every Knickerbocker princess and penniless chambermaid eager to … chambermaid eager to become his date for the biggest New Year’s Gala in Manhattan.
Maddie Peters has long admired sweet and shy librarian Will Ashton, but his family’s position in high society means anything more than friendship is a fantasy. When a letter arrives to say that Will has invited her to his mother’s exclusive party, Maddie is flabbergasted. She’s sure it’s a mistake, but she’s not one to waste the opportunity to woo him.
Angry neighbors, meddling guardians, and rampaging mechanical dragons all threaten Will and Maddie’s chance at holiday romance. But when the clock strikes midnight, these two lovers might find they have what it takes to wind up in each other’s arms.
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Uneven Book But Delightful Characters
I am a fan of steampunk romance, though I don’t read a lot of it. I do like its quirky nature, however. Most books in this subgenre seem to be more about the steampunk quasi-mechanical world than the romance. This book was surprising because it started off far more about the romance! Yes, of course, even at the beginning, there were the steampunk elements, as the heroine had suffered a carriage accident and had a biomechanical prosthesis for her hand. The first half of the book was really about these two very sweet characters, each with their own personal problems as well as family issues, figuring out that they have both been in love with each other silently for months. Both characters are relatable and empathy inspiring. The heroine lives with her great-aunt, I believe, who sees her only as a potential broodmare for a wealthy man and believes her physical issues are a stumbling block for her success. The hero is painfully shy and suffers from what we would today call social anxiety. Still, however, his family puts pressure on him to perform at the social events. The hero is touchingly shy and is genuinely physically distraught when thrust into social situations (especially awkward ones). I loved the first half of the book, getting to know these delightful characters. The second half of the book, however, felt like it came out of the blue somewhat. I don’t want to give too much away, but I thought things moved along too quickly when these two realized they each had feelings for each other. And then the heavy-duty steampunk element kicked in as well with mechanical flying dragons! I just wish there was a smoother transition between the two parts of the book, as it didn’t feel natural. But even so, I did enjoy these two very lovely characters.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Part of the A Sass and Steam Holiday Novella series a well written story that held my interest until the end. Maddie Peters and Will Ashton’s story of two people from different classes of people, but two people that understand each other.There is suspense, drama,mechanical beings, a man who does not like crowds,and a woman who he feels understands him. A story that is well worth reading. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This may be the first steampunk novel I’ve read.
It’s a novella, so thought it’d be a good introduction.
I must say it was rather fun.
The sassy heroine and the shy guy are fab.
A lot of the story happens or relates to a library, so that’s good for a start.
And it’s set in New York.
The mechanical dragons were particularly well written – I could almost see them flying around my own room!
If steampunk’s your jam then you should give this one a read.
What are you doing New Year’s Eve? You should be reading this delightful story featuring sexy, sassy Maddie and shy, male librarian Will. The description of Will’s home library has me sighing with longing. That’s totally my dream!
Fast-paced and snappy with adorable characters, this book goes perfectly with champagne and fireworks.