Opening line:
"Hollis Darby learned two things at the knee of his not-so-dear, long-departed, low-life, scoundrel of a father:how to gamble beyond what was advisable."

Another great addition to The Dread Penny Society! Sarah Eden has a great command of writing romance, witty, sweet romance as well as penny dreadful stories. This book has three stories within one again.
Hollis and Ana are on a very polite level of friendship. He is a dandy and she is a music teacher at a girl's school. Hollis is also in the DPS and watching out for a nimble thief that takes random, and sometimes, useless things from homes.
Ana's family was sunk financially and socially when her father's partner was unethical. Many of their so called friends paraded through Ana's home and took prized possessions. Ana is determined to get them back, and that means steal them.
It's a delightful story of how they come together--gentleman and thief--to bring down a bad guy.

Thanks to netgalley and Shadow Mountain for the early read!

Sarah M. Eden’s Penny Dreadful Society has met again for another endearing and entertaining adventure. Aside from this being a great story, this book shows the authors creative side as she incorporates Penny Dreadful stories that coincide with the main plot line. This is the second book in the series and it picks up with characters we were previously introduced to in the first book: Hollis Darby and Ana Newport. These characters meet their match within each other. They each have a well kept secret, but will they be able to continue to keep their secrets from one another as their stories merge?

I highly recommend this newest addition to The Dread Penny Society by Sarah M. Eden. I received an advanced copy, and all thoughts/opinions are my own.

The Gentleman and the Thief, by Sarah Eden, is a tale full of twists and turns. Hollis Darby and Ana Newport are an odd pair. Hollis's family is wealthy and well-known in society, while Ana's family has worked hard and moved up from the lower rung of society. However, her family has also suddenly lost it all. The next oddity is that they both have secrets. Hollis has taken to writing penny novels, not acceptable in society, in and attempt to keep his family afloat. Ana has been secretly reclaiming items that were wrongly taken from her family!

This is an interesting tale to follow as Hollis and Ana not only build their relationship; but work against the wrongdoings taking place in their world!

This tale is unique because it has a penny novel interwoven with Sarah's tale!

This is actually the second in a series, which I quickly realized once I started reading. I think things were well enough explained that it didn’t affect the relationship between Ana and Hollis, though I struggled a bit with the Dread Penny Society and its members.

“Getting invited to parties—that was Fletcher’s highly important role for Hollis. The others thwarted criminals, saved lives, uncovered vast and dangerous plots. He went to parties.
Pathetic.”


Ana’s family once moved the circles of the elite, but after her father’s business partner ruined their business and absconded, her family was ruined. Now she teaches music at a women’s college and does her best to support her ailing father – and spends her nights stealing back her families’ keepsakes. While Hollis is still one of the elite, second son of a noble family, they are similarly impoverished, though it’s well-hidden. To keep up appearances for his older brother and his children, Hollis gambled his way through Eton and now writes penny dreadfuls under a pen name to support himself. He’s also a member of the Dread Penny Society, a group whose purpose is to help the downtrodden and poverty-stricken underclasses, from saving child thieves from the police to supporting schools to teach the trades. Hollis is the only gently born member, though, and he feels like his work – convincing those of his class to donate to the schools – isn’t as important as the work everyone else is doing. But that all changes when reports of a new thief and a high class gambling ring become entertwined. Finally he’s being trusted with more than just going to parties. But will his involvement mean putting his burgeoning relationship with Ana in danger?

“He was a member of a respected and elevated family, a welcome part of the very Society from which she was dis- tanced. Her poverty and lowered status had created a chasm. The necessity of taking up sneak thievery to regain what had been taken only broadened that gap. There was no escaping that reality.”


I liked Ana. Music teacher by day, thief by night – I thought it was very interesting, but I did wonder where she learned her cat burglary skills. I also liked that Hollis was an author, though we didn’t see much of that on the page, besides the chapters of one of his novels. For all the heavy topics, this is a very light and sweet book. In terms of violence, even the big bad guys don’t do more than a few vague threats, and handholding and a few kisses are as far as the sexual content goes. Most of the angst revolves around the secrets they’re keeping from each other – Hollis’ involvement in the Society (and his penny dreadfuls) and Ana’s thieving. It’s a little worse on Ana’s side, as she’s terrified of losing her position at the ladies’ school if anyone, even Hollis, finds out. I’m not usually a big fan of the main characters keeping secrets from each other, so I was pleased it was mostly resolved by the halfway point of the book. That’s when their relationship slowly picks up steam as well, as before that point a lot of the book is taken up with uncovering the gambling plot. It was much more prominent than I expected, given I thought this was mainly a romance novel. I’d almost say this was historical fiction with strong romantic elements.

I really enjoyed the two penny dreadful novels interspersed with the stories. With that being said, I do think it a bit jarring switching back and forth between three different narratives, and I do think it took away from the main story. I would’ve liked to see more time spent with Ana and Hollis spending time together. What was on the page was nice, but I just wanted more!

So, overall, 3 stars, and I’ve added the first book in the series to my TBR.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The second book in The Dread Penny Society series, having never read the first one I was admittedly intrigued by both the summary and the premise. When NetGalley sent a copy of this one my way I was excited and ready to dive into a Victorian sounding mystery. What I got instead was kind of a predictable cutesy romance more reflective of the Hallmark Mysteries channel.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that but, I was expecting more of a Sherlock Holmes/Pride and Prejudice mash up as evidenced by the cover and it just wasn’t that. It was an enjoyable read for the most part but it was so hard getting into it.

I read the first in this series and enjoyed it so I was super excited for Gentleman and the Thief. I would definitely recommend reading the first book since this picks up right where that left off.
This was a sweet, clean romance. The courtship between the couple put a smile on my face while reading.
The plot could be a bit repetitive but overall I had a good time reading the story.

Sarah Eden does it again with the second book in The Dread Penny Society (or DPS) as the members refer to it. Hollis Darby is from a wealthy family, but what no one in society knows is that the coffers are bare. To keep himself in cash he secretly writes penny dreadfuls. Ana Newport is from a family that used to be a part of society, but since her father's business failed and they lost a lot of possessions to creditors, the only thing left is a town house in need of repair. Ana teaches music at a girl's school but in the evening she takes back items of sentimental value that were unjustly taken from her family.

I loved Hollis and Ana. Each of their families had suffered financial losses, so they knew what it was like to do without. They each had a secret to protect and I couldn't wait to see how the other reacted when it was discovered. I loved Hollis' flirty comments and how he fell more in love with Ana with every new discovery about her. His reactions to these discoveries made me smile. I also liked how Hollis interacted with his niece and the little street girl they rescued, Very Merry. It made me think that he would make a great father.

I loved the suspenseful moments especially when Ana worked with the DPS to catch the bad guys. I was afraid one of them would get caught or hurt, and was not happy that the bad guys got away again. (Darn it!) I found how Hollis and O'Donnell treated Ana's father very sweet. I really enjoyed getting glimpses of Fletcher and Elizabeth and the other members of the DPS, and look forward to getting their stories.

Inside the story of Hollis and Ana are two penny dreadfuls which I thoroughly enjoyed. One takes place at a school for ghosts which was such fun. I don't know how Sarah Eden manages to write three stories at once--two within the main story--it can't be easy but she does it seamlessly. This is the second in the Dread Penny Society. I would recommend reading The Lady and the Highwayman

I received a complimentary copy from Shadow Mountain and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was super excited to read the second book in this series. I love the idea of a secret society of Penny Dreadful writers who are secretly doing good deeds and trying to help their community. This book was just as much fun as the first mystery-wise. However, I did find myself disappointed by the romance or lack thereof. For a historical romance, there wasn't much romance. The couple have some interactions and we see a tiny inkling of chemistry, but nothing compared to the first couple in book one. The romance seemed a bit of an afterthought. I wished for more of it. I think if there were only one inserted penny dreadful story (namely, the one written by the penny dreadful author in the couple), there could have been more room for the development of the main romance. That being said, this was a really good book story-wise. The mystery element was fun and engaging, and we got to meet more of the PDS members and a wonderful new addition named Moirin who is the sister to Brogan (who is supposedly the next PDS member to get a book!). I would definitely recommend reading the series in order as the mysteries are interconnected. So even though the romance this time was a bit lack-luster (please I just wanted more from the couple), I'm still very excited for the next book. I also really hope that one day Moirin gets a book (or, mayhaps, falls in love with another PDS member). I still really recommend this book, but will say to lower expectations for the romance this go around.

This is the second book in the Proper Romance series. In this story, Hollis Darby is infatuated with Ana Newport. She is a music teacher and he is a gentleman who without visible means of support but is able to live a reasonable life regardless.

He has a secret, he writes penny dreadful novels for children. Not only that, he is a member of a secret society that is determined to help those less fortunate who are in great need.

He and his friends are hot on the trail of Phantom Fox, who they believe is a young child who is stealing various items, some of a little worth, some with no worth at all.

Ana becomes the music tutor of Hollis’ niece and, in so doing, becomes embroiled in the dark surface of the society’s doings. She has her own secret as well and exposure will be her undoing.

The novel switches back and forth between the story of these individuals and the penny dreadfuls that Hollis and another member have written. At first, I had a little difficulty switching back and forth but as the book went on, I began to look forward to the progression of all three stories, two of which seemed intertwined.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

What’s interesting about the format of the books in this series is that, when something notable happens in one of the penny dreadfuls, you know something notable is going to happen in the following chapter of the main story—you just don’t know what exactly. If the penny dreadful ends in a blood-curdling scream, you’re left sitting on the edge of your seat in anxiety, waiting to see what happens to our hero or heroine. It’s all very clever.

What’s especially remarkable about the way Eden has once again written and intertwined three different stories is that they are all written in distinct voices, as if they each had a different author.

I like the tongue-in-cheek nature that Eden has employed in this series, as well. The couple always thinks they’re mismatched. One’s respectable, while the other is not. In Hollis and Ana’s case: a respectable gentleman and a sneaky thief…or a penny dreadful writer who’s part of a secret vigilante society and a respectable lady who has found herself on hard times.

As for the characters themselves, I really liked them. Ana slips penny dreadfuls to her students who struggle with reading! So she’s a true heroine in my book. That said, I do wish we had gotten more background. Yes, she’s great at sneaking around and can act well when the situation calls for it, but I want to see her journey to get there. I think there could have been a flashback or a reminiscent story of her first theft and what ultimately moved her to do it—something to make it all more believable.

Hollis is an absolute sweetheart. With Ana and Eloise especially. I love him. However…I wanted more exposition concerning the romance between him and Ana. It seemed like everything just fell into place too easily. I wanted more of a risk of heartbreak, some moment where things might not work out.

This is my least favorite of Eden’s books I’ve read so far, but I still think it was good! That I’ve gotten nitpicky with this review just shows how well she writes in general. I definitely recommend this series!

I love Sarah Eden's books and this series is no exception. This has been such a fun series. I love the play on the penny dreadful and that we get 3 books in one. The dreadful stories are so interesting and kind of different from what I usually read, so they are a fun addition. I loved that the players from the first book were still very much involved in this one. I loved getting to read Hollis and Ana's story. They are both very interesting and wonderful characters. I love the way they champion others, especially each other. This book is full of mystery and suspense. I don't know how big this series is going to be, but I'm looking forward to more of the Dread Penny Society. My hope is Brogan or Stone's story will be next.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

A Penny Dreadful for their thoughts...

Book 2 of The Dread Penny Society series is about Ana and Hollis. Ana is trying to steal back things that were taken from her family when they were cheated out of their fortune. Hollis is a member of the Dread Penny Society who is tasked with finding the thief.

The story once again weaves the Penny Dreadful stories inbetween the main story’s chapters, I found myself skimming them to get back to the main one, then I went back as I preferred to read them after I finished the book.

Ana is very sympathetic, & I enjoyed Hollis's sense of humor, and it was very easy to root for them. I actually like this story even better than the first!

*Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic

*Religion: Christian beliefs motivate many of the characters, but it’s not even remotely preachy

The Dead Penny Society is up to their old tricks and the streets of 1860’s London is all the safer for it!

In this instalment we follow the antics of the groups most aristocratic member, Hollis Darby as he investigate the thieving of the Phantom Fox and try to romance the lovely, yet reclusive Ana Newport, whom works as a music instructor.

While working on his investigation fro the Society , Hollis finds out that Ana has some special skills that he could use to help him, thus allowing for more time together. They soon learn that they have more in common than mutual acquaintances…

This was another delightful romantic mystery! I loved hove the characters lives intertwined without them know for so long! Both characters have plenty of secrets and like an onion, the secrets are slowly peeled away in this sweet tale.

Just like in the first book of the series, The Lady and the Highwayman, the inclusion of Penny Dreadful stories woven with the larger story aded to he the book on two levels. First, the stories were fun to read and would be a delight on their now, and second, the stories are front and centre to the characters in the book. They are reading and discussing them, so having the reader be in on the stories is a great addition!

This was another fun read, that I can easily recommend!

The Gentleman and the Thief by Sarah M. Eden is due to release November 3rd, 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheGentlemanandtheThief #SarahMEden #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

I have enjoyed this new series by Sarah Eden. I love the historical aspect but what I think I really like are the stories within the story - the penny dreadfuls. They are witty and I can see where these would take a person's mind off the bad things going on around them. Like they say, get lost in a book!

This is also supposed to be a proper romance. To me, that just means a very clean romance story set in the past when people were more proper and had manners. This book definitely fills that bill but the romance is very light. We know that Hollis and Ana are attracted to each other and have their flirtations and interactions, but I think the book was more focused on other things such as the DPS - Dreadful Penny Society - and their works trying to get urchins and orphans off of the street and away from those that abuse them. There is also the mystery of who is the Phantom Fox. Granted the answer is discovered early on, but I enjoyed watching how that story unfolded as well.

I found all of the characters engaging and they all added something to the story whether it was good or bad. I think that if you like clean, historical novels that you will like this series.

We give this 4 paws ups.

'LONDON 1865

From the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he’s smitten. Even though he’s from a wealthy, established family and she isn’t, he wishes he could have a life with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: the deep coffers that have kept his family afloat for generations are bare, so he supports himself by writing penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he would be broke.

Ana Newport also has a secret. Though she once had a place in society thanks to her father’s successful business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced his fortune to nothing more than a crumbling town house. So Ana teaches music during the day, and at night she assumes the identity of the “Phantom Fox.” She breaks into the homes of the wealthy to reclaim trinkets and treasures she feels were unjustly stolen from her family when they were struggling.

When Hollis’s brother needs to hire a music tutor for his daughter, Hollis recommends Ana, giving him a chance to spend time with her. Ana needs the income and is eager for the opportunity to get to know the enigmatic gentleman. What neither of them expects is how difficult it will be to keep their respective secrets from each other.

When a spree of robberies rocks the city, Ana and Hollis join forces to solve the crimes, discovering that working together deepens the affection between them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?'
______________________________________

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.

The Gentleman and the Thief is the second book in Sarah M. Eden's The Dread Penny Society series.

As with the previous book in the series, this book follows the unique format of short stories alternating throughout the course of the book. Both serving to tell their own stories, but also working together with the main story to aid the progression of the book as a whole. Both of the short stories are paranormal in nature, one of which being quiet whimsical, geared toward children, and sserved to brighten some of the more intense portions of the book.

Hollis is underestimated by the other members of the Dread Penny society. He is initially seen as nearly their ticket into Society events, but he is not trusted with any real dangerous or important tasks, due to his more elevated place in society he is seen as to soft and inexperienced. But as the book progresses he gradually proves his worth as a member of the group and really steps into a position of power and expertise during this case.

I enjoyed that Ana is not the meek female lead that she initially seems that she may be. Instead she is a daring and strong, moonlighting as a moral theif in order to right the wrongs committed against her family.

I enjoyed The Gentleman and the Thief and enjoyed Ana and Hollis's characters more than Elizabeth and Fletcher from The Lady and the Highwayman, but overall I did not find it to be as compelling as the first book in the series. I will however continue on with any following books in the series.

By the state things were left at the conclusion of the book, I am assuming there will be another book in the series. My guess is that the next book will serve to bring us closer to untangling the tangeld web of the crime ring the Dread Penny Society has been working to dismantle and I do hope that we will learn about Serena and see her situation improve.
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I would like to thank NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for sharing an eARC of The Gentleman and the Thief by Sarah M. Eden with me. This is my honest review.

What to say?

This was a nice and clean romance. Although I hesitate to call it a romance. So much of this was about the mystery type element. I would’ve preferred more to the romance. That has nothing to do with the lack of sexual elements. I just never felt the attraction and why Hollis and Ana grew to love each other. I liked them as people, but they also felt a little underdeveloped.

Part of this was two Penny Dreadfuls. I’m kind of ambivalent about books within books. Initially, I was annoyed by them, but I grew to really like them. I don’t know if they were accurate representations of actual Penny Dreadfuls, but they were good to me.

Readers, beware: The Dread Penny Society is back in town. Their mission this time? Justice. In September 2019, acclaimed Regency author, Sarah M. Eden, published her first book in the “Dread Penny Society” series. Titled The Lady and the Highwayman, this novel is a tongue-in-cheek - albeit romantic - take on the classic highwayman legends. Her latest addition to the series, The Gentleman and the Thief, no longer features a dashing highwayman, yet these new heroes equally hide their true selves amongst the shadows.

“For the poor and infirm, the hopeless and voiceless, we do not relent. We do not forget. We are the Dread Penny Society.” (Location 1582)

Hollis Darby: Gentleman, man about town, and member of a secret society. Now in his thirties, he is more than satisfied with his work as a writer of children’s fiction. He even finds fulfillment in his other passion -- helping to give hope to those living on the streets in his city. What Hollis lacks is a partner in crime, or at least, his brand of it. When he meets the enchanting Miss Newport, he is dazzled by her confidence, music skills, and kindness. Above all, he feels as if they are kindred spirits. Little does he know just how similar they are.

As he slipped from view, Ana opened her violin case. It was the perfect excuse and the perfect pretense. She opened the small compartment where she stored her rosin and her polishing cloth. She tucked underneath them what she’d come to this musicale for and had, by a near miracle, managed to secure: a single silver bracelet. (Location 251)

Ana Newport: Musician, survivor, and thief. After her family’s wealth and honor were destroyed years ago, Ana has taken it upon herself to learn the thief’s trade in order to reclaim her family’s possessions that were stolen from her. Under the guise of the Phantom Fox, Ana successfully separates her life in the daytime from that of the night. That is, until the charmingly perceptive Hollis Darby arrives, with his own secrets in tow.

“Courage, Miss Newport,” he whispered. “You are equal to this.” (Location 553)

As secrets are brought to light and their own demons raise their ugly heads, Hollis and Ana struggle to make the world a better place. The question is: if they work together, will they succeed? Or will they lose everything good that they’ve fought for?

Something Sarah M. Eden does remarkably well with The Gentleman and the Thief -- and The Lady and the Highwayman before it -- is the interplay of story within a story. Hollis’ serial about young thieves and their struggles provided an intriguing backdrop to his own experiences with Ana. Despite the topics of justice, revenge, and thievery, this was a surprisingly light book, filled with plenty of humor and romance to suit any reader looking for a fresh look at the Victorian period.

What I didn’t like about this book was the level to which I had to suspend my disbelief. The premise of a hidden society of mismatched, penny-dreadful novelists in the 1860s coming together to banter in Dickensian accents as they try to figure out how to bring about justice -- legally but secretly -- was too improbably naive for my taste. Ana especially was a challenge to root for, as her thievery took a weird form, masked under a pure cause. She refused to steal other people’s items, as a truly impoverished person would do. Instead, she stole to get revenge for her family’s loss of money and status, taking items that were originally hers. An ethical quibble wasn’t the main reason for my dislike, although most people (myself included) agree stealing is wrong; it was that I couldn’t get behind Ana’s motive. What was even the end goal? A small feeling of revenge, the size of a bracelet? This seemed like the kind of twisted logic villains are known for, not heroes.

That being said, Ana and Hollis were (largely) sympathetic leads, and I couldn’t help but admire their genuine compassion for those less fortunate, especially children. Both characters wanted to do something to help save the day, and while this doesn’t always work out as perfectly in real life as it did in the book, that fact doesn’t make The Gentleman and the Thief’s ending any less sweet.

Overall, The Gentleman and the Thief is a strong addition to “The Dread Penny Society” series. With its expanded world, driven characters, and message of hope despite circumstances, this is a novel that brings something new to the Victorian genre.

I thoroughly enjoy the style of this series - stories within stories. Ana and Hollis are delightful, especially as they are a number of steps removed from the stereotypical Heroine and Hero. Ana is strong and capable, but still has strong sentimental and feminine pulls. Hollis has insecurities of his own and a thirst to prove himself. I appreciated the emphasis on wit (rather than brawn) in this story. At one point Hollis remarks to himself that he loves that Ana doesn't hold a grudge over misunderstandings. As a reader, I appreciate that too. ;) Any misunderstandings were perfectly natural and settled directly without belaboring the point. I can't say it enough - I loved that.

I will say that while this is considered a stand alone novel, I think I would have been pretty confused if I hadn't read the first one. The Dread Penny Society is not given much explanation or back story, nor are the characters from the previous story. Not to mention that the over arching plot has carried from book one now to book two and apparently onward. Do yourself a favor and start with book one, the equally delightful The Lady and the Highwayman, if you haven't already.

He is a gentleman. She is a thief. A love story full of compassion, secrets, and adventure.

The Gentleman and the Thief by Sarah M. Eden is an adventurous historical romance with a wide range of exciting characters, including a perishable (you will have to read the book to find out what I'm talking about).

It is book #2 in the Dread Penny Society series but can be read as a standalone.

Our thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing, Austenprose, and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy. ​

Anna used to be in society but became a teacher after her father's business was ruined.

Hollis was the second son in a family that did not manage its fortune well and had to fend for himself without appearing to be doing so.

Both of them held secrets. Anna was a teacher by day and a thief by night. Hollis was the perfect gentleman, but secretly a writer of cheap literature called penny dreadfuls.

Both characters were charming. Anna was strong and perseverant. She did not make excuses for her actions, was very focused and relentless.

Hollis was so warm and sweet, a gentleman through and through.

The story is full of adventure, with some crime-related subplots and very intriguing side characters.

I especially enjoyed the two full penny dreadful stories included in between the chapters. Higglebottom's School for The Dead was light and fun, and The Gentleman and the Thief was innocent and romantic.

This was my first book by the author, but I'm looking forward to reading more of her stories.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 11/19/2020 as part of the book's blog tour*

The Gentleman and the Thief is the second book in a series about the members of a secret organization, the Dread Penny Society.
The thing I liked most about this book were the characters, especially Very Merry and Hollis. I enjoyed Hollis' character when he was introduced in the first book in the series but loved him even more in this book. He was charming and a gentleman.
I enjoyed the main story of this book but I had a hard time staying interested. It took me an unusually long time time to read this book. I found the Penny Dreadful stories inserted throughout the book distracting. Just when I would finally be getting invested in the story a Penny Dreadful would be inserted. After reading those it was then hard to renew my interest in the main story.
While Sarah Eden is one of my favorite authors, and the overall story was fun, I definitely enjoyed some of her other books more.