I received an ARC of The Lady and the Highwayman by Sarah M. Eden from Shadow Mountain Publishing through NetGalley. What follows is my fair and honest review.

The Lady and the Highwayman is a historical romance novel featuring three different narratives, two rival penny dreadful authors, and one secret identity. Here’s my quick summary:

Elizabeth Black is a novelist, writing respectable silver-fork stories. Everyone knows this. What everyone does not know is that she also writes penny dreadfuls under the pen name Mr. King. Fellow penny dreadful author Fletcher Walker is determined to find Mr. King’s true identity before his new rival can ruin the plans of his secret Dread Penny Society, but when he asks Elizabeth Black for help, he finds himself increasingly distracted be her wit and kindness. Will they be able to work through all the secrets and schemes before it’s too late?

Eden’s book is a fun read, but how much you enjoy it will really depend on your tastes as a reader. It’s definitely a romance novel because the main story and final conflicts are all about Elizabeth and Fletcher’s relationship. However, there’s no heat in the story, so if you’re looking for a true bodice ripper, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

The other aspect of the novel that I think will be really hit-or-miss for readers are the stories within the story. Since Elizabeth and Fletcher are both penny dreadful authors, Eden decided to include each of the latest releases in the novel. These stories are fun, and I think they can help readers better understand Elizabeth and Fletcher. However, I can also see how they might be disruptive or distracting for some readers.

I recommend this story for readers interested in “clean” historical romance (for lack of a better term) and fans of hidden/secret identities tropes.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this story of Penny Dreadful author Fletcher Walker searching for his rival Mr. King. Along the way he meets -- and is captivated by -- Miss Elizabeth  Black, the headmistress at a girls school. The setting is Victorian London, with all its grime & poverty.

The sweet romance and attraction between these two moved on at a nice pace. Not so much the story itself. This is really three stories in one. We have the main story between Fletcher and Elizabeth, and then we have excerpts from both of their Penny Dreadful serials which I found myself skipping. Fans of creative historical fiction will probably like this story.

Thanks Net Galley for the opportunity to read and provide my honest review of this story.

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Elizabeth Black is the headmistress of a girls’ school in 1865 Victorian London. She is also a well-respected author of “silver-fork” novels, stories written both for and about the upper-class ladies of Victorian society. But by night, she writes very different kinds of stories—the Penny Dreadfuls that are all the rage among the working-class men. Under the pseudonym Mr. King, Elizabeth has written about dashing heroes fighting supernatural threats, intelligent detectives solving grisly murders, and dangerous outlaws romancing helpless women. They contain all the adventure and mystery that her real life lacks.

Fletcher Walker began life as a street urchin, but is now the most successful author in the Penny Dreadful market, that is until Mr. King started taking all of his readers. No one knows who King is, including Fletcher’s fellow members of the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the social and political causes of their working-class readers. The group knows King could be an asset with his obvious monetary success, or he could be the group’s undoing as King’s readership continues to cut into their profits.

Determined to find the elusive Mr. King, Fletcher approaches Miss Black. As a fellow-author, she is well-known among the high-class writers; perhaps she could be persuaded to make some inquiries as to Mr. King’s whereabouts? Elizabeth agrees to help Fletcher, if only to insure her secret identity is never discovered. What neither author anticipated was the instant attraction, even though their social positions dictate the impossibility of a relationship.

For the first time Elizabeth experiences the thrill of a cat-and-mouse adventure reminiscent of one of her own novels as she tries to throw Fletcher off her scent. But the more time they spend together, the more she loses her heart. Its upper-class against working-class, author against author where readers, reputations, and romance are all on the line.

This was an intriguing mystery with just enough romance for my tastes!

3.5 ⭐️
It’s always something special to read about writers and romance. *Sigh* I inhaled them and watch how crucial it was to be a productive writer and how sometimes people have to hide who they are to be taken seriously or without due respect. This to me was a very important part of this story.

The other part was about the streets of London.....poverty, crime and the needs and rescue of some of the misfortunate children. It was great and quite an adventure.
Things I loved:
• The Dread Penny Society
• Romance
• The rescues
• HEA

This was a NETGALLEY gift and all opinions are my own.

From the first page this book shattered all my preconceived notions of Sarah Eden’s writing. If I hadn’t been fully aware that the book I was reading was a Sarah Eden book, I never would have guessed it.

The writing and the plot were so very different from the Sarah Eden I was used to, and yet wholly delightful. The story was incredibly quirky and a little on the dramatic side, both of which fit the whole perfectly.  I was entirely entertained and captivated.

The two stories within the story pulled me out a little the first time or two, but the more I was pulled into the characters, the more I loved the added character development they provided.

This is why I love Sarah Eden’s writing, it continually surprises and enchants me. Every, single, time.

Elizabeth's passion is for writing penny dreadfuls. However, as she is a headmistress to a girl's school in 1865 London, she has to be considered respectful by only writing manner books or else her funding is pulled. So she writes penny dreadfuls under the name Mr. King. Her books are a success and other writers of the genre want to meet Mr. King as they've been using their money to help orphan boys. This leads her to meet Fletcher, a man she feels herself drawn to.

The characters are compelling for having their own, good reasons for the secrecy. The reasons are so good that once discovered they only understand. I love when the main couple aren't stupid and come together to solve problems. And Elizabeth is brave when she helps Fletcher save street boys from their cruel masters.

I loved the difference in classes between the two main protagonists, but how their mutual love of penny dreadfuls solidifies their bond as well as their commitment to the protection and education of the poorer classes. Each protagonist is also an author of penny dreadfuls, and it was a treat to read two different penny dreadfuls that weaved themselves into the main story. A realistic romance that focuses heavily on historical fiction where the author did their research. I'm excited to read more from Sarah Eden.

"Rumor had it, Fletcher Walker wasn’t born but had simply appeared one day, swaggering down the streets of London."

The excellent first line drew me right in!

Fletcher Walker has crawled his way up from the gutter with just his swagger. He goes wherever he wants, acting like he belongs, and no one questions him. Fletcher is a different kind of a hero who is very vulnerable. Now that he is successful writing Penny Dreadfuls, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from, and he gives back to those who need it.

Elizabeth Black is all prim and proper in order to keep people interested in her school. However, that is just a facade for her adventurous spirit.

Fletcher and Elizabeth both write Penny Dreadfuls and the chapters switch between their points of view as well as the Penny Dreadful stories themselves.

I’ve never been in to over the top, exaggerated novels, but Elizabeth’s story was fun and interesting. Fletcher’s was interesting as well, but it was sad, and real, and raw. Especially because it came from a place he knew from growing up in the slums. I liked how the Penny Dreadfuls intertwined with the overall story.

Even with their success, Fletcher and Elizabeth are drawn together with their desire to educate those who are often overlooked like females and the poor.

Historical fiction is my favorite, and I love learning new and interesting things during different time periods. I love that Eden drew inspiration from real life author Elizabeth Caroline Grey who was rumored to write Penny Dreadfuls and Silver Fork novels.

There was an overall mystery throughout the book that I really enjoyed. The ending is very cute, but I still wish I had answers to some questions.

I have read almost all of Sarah M. Eden’s books, and she is one of my favorite authors. This book seemed a different style than others I have read from her, but I really liked it and completely recommend it.

4 stars

You get three stories for the price of one with this tale. Fletcher and Elizabeth's meeting and gradual romance. Fletcher's penny dreadful story and Mr. Kings penny dreadful story. I assume that in the actual book there may be pictures interleafed as my kindle just had blank pages but it didn't distract from my enjoyment of the book. I'll certainly look for other books by Ms Eden and recommend this story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Lady & the highwayman is a historical romance set in 1865 London.

The main characters are Fletcher walker who used to be a street urchin now is a successful writer and is in dreadful penny society which put me in mind of a Robin Hood type gang of men who advocate for the poor. Then we have Elizabeth Black she is the head teacher at all girls school is Mr King secretly fletchers biggest rival author.

I thought this was a nice take on historical romance, the chemistry between Fletcher and Elizabeth was brilliant I also loved the banter they had together.

Unfortunately for me the chapters from both of their books seemed to take away from the plot in my opinion. I really didn’t like the idea of stories within a story and found myself skimming these chapters so I could get back to the main story.

In spite of this I did really like Elizabeth and Fletchers story, the romance was nice and I love Victorian stories so that was a bonus for me.

Thank you to netgalley & shadow mountain publishing for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fletcher Walker is the undisputed king of popular penny dreadfuls. In Victorian England, dreadfusl were usually written by the lower class and read by the lower class. They were cheap, highly dramatic, and sensationalized serial stories. Another author, by the name of Mr. King, has begun to publish penny dreadfuls, and they are beginning to surpass the sales of Fletchers stories. Fletcher, who had grown up in poverty, now is the champion of the poor. He is the head of the “Penny Dreadful Society” whose mission is to help the poor, and to rescue women and children from violent masters and unsavory characters. Fletcher’s writing supports the endeavors of the Society. Fletcher desires to know the true identity of Mr. King, as his sales have begun to fall, and he is dependent on the sales to help the Society.

Elizabeth Black is headmistress of Thurloe Collegiate School, which is a school for the privileged females of society. Elizabeth is also the author of several novels appealing to the well-healed in society; they are called “silver-fork” novels. In secret, she also writes penny dreadfuls which have become very popular. She meets Fletcher Walker at a political salon, and she immediately feels that he would make a “perfect model for a penny dreadful novel – or villain.” Writing as Mr. King, she even incorporates some of her interactions with Fletcher as part of her penny dreadful writing. Fletcher Walker turns to Elizabeth for help in finding the true identify of Mr. King, as he believes that the author writes for high society, as well as writing penny dreadfuls; he also turns to Elizabeth to help in his rescue of women and children.

The Lady and the Highwayman is very cleverly written. Sarah Eden has written three stories in one! The main story is about Elizabeth and Fletcher and the work of Fletcher’s Penny Dreadful Society. We are also treated to the penny dreadful writing of both Elizabeth and Fletcher. This story contains a lot of adventure and action as Fletcher and other members of the Penny Dreadful Society, identified as those tossing pennies in their hands as they walk on the street, rescue children and women from terrible situations --- truly fighting a grave evil in Victorian London. The members of the Penny Dreadful Society were also a real treat! Such fun; get ready for a fun ride as you get pulled into Victorian England!

Let me just say that I absolutely love the hero/heroine writing under a pseudonym. And if it's something as horrid as a Gothic novel or a Penny Dreadful, I love it even more!

“A lady in her position could be respected or she could be adventurous. What she could not be was both.”

“Mr. Walker dabbles in the . . . less refined areas of, well, I dare not say ‘literature.’”“Why?” Mr. Walker asked. “Is it too difficult for you to pronounce?”

Miss Elizabeth Black is the prim and proper headmistress of Thurloe Collegiate School which caters to middle class girls and a writer of silver folk novels. However she is also Mr.King, author of the best selling Penny Dreadful, The Lady and the Highwayman. Mr. Fletcher Walker is a member of the Dreadful Penny Society which helps street children like him lead a better life. All the members of said society write penny dreadfuls which help fund their various causes. Walker’s Penny Dreadful, Urchins of London Adventure, was the best seller until Mr. King appeared with The Lady and the Highwayman….

To protect herself and money she earns from her penny dreadful (which goes to fund the school), Elizabeth agrees to help Fletcher uncover Mr. King. I loved the banter between them but what really progresses their relationship is the cause of saving children. I also liked a few of the other secondary characters such Mr. Darby, an aristocratic and also a member of the society and Miss Newton, a music teacher at Thurloe. There was also Stone, a slave who escaped from America; he’s another character who connects with the street children on a personal level.

“You swear? Frequently and fluently.”

“There’s plenty here who’d likely declare I can’t write.” Miss Black looked around as if shocked. “Are there a great many illiterate people in attendance?”

“Those with many options in life certainly enjoyed taking choices away from those who had few.”

My favorite thing about historical fiction is the mixture of fact and fiction. Mr. Hogg’s ragged school which our hero and heroine bond together to save actually existed to provide education to poor children. It’s sad to read that times like these actually existed and even worse are the excuses some of the wealthy made against them.

Having read four previous books by Sarah M Eden I have to say this is my favorite so far. She has written not one, but three stories and all three are diverse as they are entertaining. Don’t skip any! And if you read a lot of Gothic novels the beginning of Mr.King's The Lady and the Highwayman will definitely bring a smile to your face.


Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC>

I love it when authors write about authors. It is interesting to see the insights they have and how they portray another writer. Not only does this book give you the background stories of two authors, it also gives you the installments of the stories they were creating- a delightful twist. Sarah M. Eden is a brilliant writer! LOVED IT!

Do you like secret societies and hidden identities? Stories within stories? Love triangles with two people? Characters who want to make the world a better place? Falling in love unexpectedly? Then "The Lady and the Highwayman" is for you!

Fletcher Walker was born in the gutters, but raised himself up through education and is now a bestselling Penny Dreadful author who writes "Hardy Boys" style paranormal mysteries featuring two orphan boys. In addition, he is a prominent member of the Dread Penny Society, a group of Penny Dreadful authors who work to provide better education and care for the urchins of London. However, he is currently vexed by the mysterious unknown identity of Mr. King, who is currently out-selling his own works. Could Mr. King be a valuable asset for the Dread Penny Society? And why so secretive?

Elizabeth Black is a well-known Silver Fork novelist, headmistress of a school for middle-class girls.... and the illusive Mr. King, author of the Penny Dreadfuls such as "The Lady and the Highwayman". While writing Penny Dreadfuls supplements her own income and the school's, no one can ever know her secret. For if it was to be known that she wrote "low-brow" literature, her reputation--and, more importantly, that of her school's--would be put into question. So when Mr. Walker begins asking questions about Mr. King's identity, she knows she must do everything to throw him off course.

However, Fletcher and Elizabeth soon find themselves involved in a mystery, and have to protect all that is dear to them. And, perhaps, fall in love along the way.

A fantastic work of historical fiction, with an evident amount of research done by the author, "The Lady and the Highwayman" is a wonderful addition to the "Proper Romance" imprint, that will leave readers alternatively laughing, swooning, or in suspense. And, perhaps most impressive, contains not one but three stories within, as readers also get to enjoy the Penny Dreadfuls written by Fletcher Walker and the illusive Mr. King. (And see just how much their stories reflect their real lives.)

My only complaint is that there are two unresolved plot points, minor as they may be, but perhaps a future sequel novel will tie those up into dainty bows. (And return us to this wonderful slice of Victorian London.)

The hero and the heroine both write "penny dreadfuls", the mass-produced and cheap serials of the time, devoured by the poorer population and also read by so-called "respectable" people (not that they'd admit it). Both Fletcher's and Elizabeth's stories are woven into the novel, and their writing styles are completely different. Elizabeth Black writes hers under a pseudonym; she is headmistress of a girls' school and this writing is unacceptable. However, she also writes "silver-fork" novels, a term totally new to me.

As a former street urchin who made something of himself, Fletcher has made it his mission to rescue street children from terrible situations, something unfathomable now but a sad reality back then. His fellow authors are dedicated to this cause, as well. The fearless Elizabeth helps him in this quest. Both see the importance of educating the poor, which was frowned upon by so many. They are Victorian SJWs, and it's so refreshing! The street urchins are clever and savvy, forming a communication network of sorts.

Fletcher Walker is determined to find the elusive Mr. King, his rival and unknown to him, Elizabeth's nom de plume. Of course he doesn't know that "King" has been under his nose the entire time. King's unveiling is worth the wait. It's funny how some of his real-life actions were incorporated into Miss Black's story ("The Lady and the Highwayman") and he STILL doesn't figure it out.

As always, Eden's prose is crisp, clear and descriptive. She quite successfully tackled three different styles of writing in one book. Fletcher and Elizabeth's banter is intelligent and witty, and their "voices" unique. Secondary characters are also well-drawn.

Sarah Eden is one of my favorite authors. There are many characters in this novel who need their own stories, so hopefully this is the start of a series. There is one loose end I'd like to see tied up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this wonderful novel.

This was my first book by Ms. Eden and I didn't know what to expect when I was starting it. I ended really liking, if not loving <i>The Lady and the Highwayman</i>. I liked that it was set in Victorian England and that it didn't center on the ton but on the people of lower class. It was a fresh take on historical romance and I enjoyed it very much. I also liked the 3 different stories interwoven in the book. I enjoyed the main story about Miss Black and Fletcher Walker immensly and I was very satisfied how their story played out even if some of the things didn't get wrapped up properly (like who the mysterious main player behind the PDS is) . The Lady and the Highwayman, the penny dreadful Mr. King writes, was very nice too even if a bit predictable. Walker's penny dreadful about London's urchins was ok but it didn't draw me in as much as the other two stories. But I still enjoyed it.
Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely. It pulled at my heart strings more than once and I'm looking forward to reading more books by Ms. Eden.

I am not a fan of Victorian era stories. For me it was a dark time with serious social and economic issues that don't produce much opportunity for positive stories. That being said, 'The Lady and the Highwayman' transcended the time period with a blend of humor, love and hope. The stories within the story were expertly accomplished and the ongoing mystery of child rescue (hauntingly current) was well handled. I am thinking there might be more to come as we explore Hollis and Ann, as well as the Dread Master. I certainly hope so.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions express in this review are entirely my own.

The Lady and the Highwayman is really three adventures in one. The main characters are themselves authors (of penny dreadfuls -- popular, serialized stories sold for a penny) and their stories are sampled along the main plot. It provides interesting context, although, at first it is confusing to have so many characters introduced and can be jarring as the story goes along as the reader jumps from narrative to narrative. The romance is sweet and builds slowly and from a friendship. The adventure and secret society storyline requires a bit of suspension of belief, but overall The Lady and the Highwayman is an adventure story with a heart.

4.5*

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I picked this one up. I knew that I love pretty much anything/everything that I read from this author but this one was her first Victorian and a historical fiction. I found myself loving the style, especially the interspersed, "Penny Dreadfuls."

Now you're asking what are "Penny Dreadfuls?" Well, let me enlighten you. They were serial stories written for the lower classes and cost a penny. A way for many to be able to enjoy reading a story affordably. They were also not considered quite proper for the upper class, so possibly a little bit of a taboo subject for high society.

Elizabeth and Fletcher are both authors. She is a proper and influential author while he authors the dreaded "penny dreadfuls." They both have their secrets from each other but which are pretty easy for the reader to pick up on right at the beginning of the story.

There are two penny dreadful stories going on throughout the main storyline and I have to say that I enjoyed how the two connected with what was happening in Elizabeth and Fletcher's lives.

This book looks at the different levels of society, from the street urchins and other poverty stricken people to the wealthy. I thought it was well written and I really enjoyed all the historical aspects that you can see the author really did her research on. I think that's one reason why I really enjoy her writing so much is because of the rich history that she includes in her stories. Not only am I reading and enjoying myself being immersed in a story, but I'm learning as well. Definitely a win/win for me with reading!

If you're a Sarah M. Eden fan, I hope you grab this one and enjoy the many aspects of it. Suspense, a little romance and great characterization. If you've never read books by this author before and enjoy Victorian then this would be a good one to start with.

Content: Clean. Some moments of peril and suspense. Descriptions of life for street urchins, some talk about the children being beaten and mistreated but nothing graphic. I felt it was well done for showing but not overly showing the horrific circumstances experienced by many of the lower class, especially the children.

I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

#TheLadyAndTheHighwayman #NetGalley

I've read nearly all of Sarah M. Eden's books, and love them. Thisnnovel is quite different, but not in a bad way. The book is based around penny dreadful novels and two authors who wrote them. Elizabeth Black is headmistress of a girls' school and writes a penny dreadful novel, under the name Mr King.There are three different stories in this novel, its not hard to keep each storyline straight., there is the main story about Elzabeth Black and Fletcher Walker, who grew up in the slums of England, but has found a way to help others in dire situations.Mr. King's novel and the novel by Fletcher Walker are entertwined in this book. A very unique way to write, but one that I loved, The characters were a delight.