A very clever and fun story! I'm usually no fan of Victorians, but this charming adventure won me over very quickly. The characters are very intriguing, and there is a hint that the book could grow into a continuing series - it would be a shame if this is not the case!

The Gentleman and the Thief by Sarah M. Eden, 368 pages. Shadow Mountain, 2020. $16.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Hollis keeps up high-class appearances for the sake of his family’s reputation, but his passions lie in pursuits unaccepted by those of his social standing. Ana has fallen from high society due to the loss of her family’s fortune, and she strives to bring restitution to her family, even if society won’t easily overlook their tarnished reputation. Despite all their trials and secrets, Hollis and Ana are determined to right some of the ignored wrongs around them, but can they continue to do so without being caught?
Something about the beginning was slow to get rolling and didn’t capture me as much as I wanted it to, resulting in a loss of motivation to continue reading the rest of the story. Hollis’s and Ana’s stories are well-written -- as well as the interspersed chapters of short stories mentioned in the book -- I just didn’t love reading it. The mature content rating is for illegal activity and mentions of prostitution.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Gentleman & The Thief is the second book in the Proper Romance Victorian series. A gentleman scribes penny dreadful novels by night and falls in love with a woman who is a music teacher by day—and a thief at night.

I loved the premise of this story. I love any story with a Victorian woman that does her own thing regardless of societal expectations. Although this is the second book in the series (which I didn’t realize until I was halfway through), I didn’t feel like I missed too much by not reading the first. The buildup was great, I love idea of the Dread Penny Society and their network. Unfortunately, the ending fell flat. I felt nervous for our heroes, but other than a small scuffle it was so anticlimactic. One of the men they’ve been after escape with just a half sentence mention with no foreshadowing. What happened to The Raven is barely mentioned. There was nothing to make me think I NEED to read the next book.

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting installment in this series. I liked the characters and the intrigue. Part of it had my heart pounding as I worried for Hollis and Ana. I enjoyed how the two of them figured out the involvement of the other in their secret lives. But the intrigue continues so there must be more to the series. The additional stories from the Penny Dreadfuls that Hollis secretly writes was fun. Much lighter and fun than many Penny Dreadfuls which have that name for a reason. These were more just delightful than dreadful.
This series is different than most of Ms. Eden's books with double elements in the writing of intrigue along with the romance. So it is a change of pace. I do enjoy her books.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: a little
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this piece!

What can I say but WOW!

This is such a whimsical tale of love and secrets! Hollis Darby is known for this questionable gambling habits and being a charmer. Coming from a family of gamblers, Hollis tries his best to make a name for himself that doesn't tie him to the mistakes of his family name. Yes he gambled, but only to get into Eton when his father gambled away the family's fortune. Through his friend Fletcher--urchin turned high society man--Hollis is invited to join the Dreaded Penny Society. The DPS is led by writers of penny dreadfuls. Their aim? To use their reputations and money to aid the less fortunate.
Ana Newport is a recent pauper. Her father was cheated out of most of his high class earnings and it is up to her to steal back all that was stolen from her. This is a secret skill she hides from her family and her crush--Hollis Darby.
Intermingled in the main plot are two penny dreadfuls written by Hollis and Elizabeth--both so amazingly charming and perfect that they do not detract from the main story but enhance it greatly! This book is sooo worth the read and I look forward in picking up more of Ms. Eden's books!

Sarah M. Eden is one of my favourite authors: she writes in a compelling way and creates protagonist with a great depth of character, hence why I was very much looking forward to her new book. "The Gentleman and the Thief" wasn't as wonderful as her series "The Jonquil Brothers", but it was enjoyable nonetheless, although a bit long. I didn't especially like the penny dreadful novels, but it was interesting to see what they could look like and I appreciated the author making the effort to create stories within the story instead of referring to them in vague terms. I also liked the originality of the story, which changes from the usual historical romance books.
Overall, a good read, but not quite as compelling as Sarah M. Eden's other works.

I loved this book! And imagine my scream when I found out this was actually the second book in a series. What?? Now I need to go back and read the first book and definitely I'm excited for the next one in the series.
The storyline was so interesting and it flowed well, the characters were really interesting to follow and the setting was just stunning. It's witty, super fun, cute, addicting and everything I enjoy in this kind of novels.
The only reason for my 4⭐ is that I expected more of the romance. But that aside, this book was a delicious treat.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Ana’s family lost all it’s money to a con man and was pushed to the edge of polite society when she was young. Now she makes a living as a music teacher and plots her revenge against those who wronged her family. Hollis is a gentleman of society but just barely since his family is destitute, ruined by gambling debts of his father and grandfather. He seeks to improve his fortunes and those of others and maybe to catch the eye of a certain pretty music teacher.

The love story is sweet and has very few obstacles. Ana and Hollis grow closer as they seek to bring down a gambling ring that threatens their families.

After hearing about how good Sarah M. Eden books were for years and years I finally picked up one of her books! I started with The Lady and the Highwayman and loved it so much that I immediately requested this one for review and it was just as good!
Pretty much from the first sentence I fell in love and it just kept getting better! The author is extremely talented at immediately drawing a reader in and fully immersing them in the story in the most organic way. One second you are in your house reading and the next you are walking the streets of London tossing a penny in the air.
I was charmed by Hollis Darby in the first book and was so excited to dive into his story. He cared deeply for those close to him and making sacrifices or putting himself in danger for them didn’t even give him pause. And Ana was kind and gracious but also had a spark in her that was fun to watch come out! I loved the relationship between the two of them, it built sweetly at the perfect pace and they were just adorable together! Their banter was also spot on, as was the banter with all of the other characters which is one of my favorite things about how the author wrote this series! I also completely adored the brotherhood of the Dread Penny Society, they were from all different walks of life but they shared a profession and a goal to help the less fortunate and it created a bond like no other. I loved the camaraderie between them that was truly like brothers and I am so hoping we get more and more stories about them! Since the big bad guy still hasn’t been caught I’m crossing my fingers that that means more books are coming!
Also the little Penny Dreadful chapters thrown in between the book’s chapters were fun and entertaining and a unique little addition!
In short this book was everything I wanted and more than I could have imagined and I am off to find more of this author’s books to read!

Ah, good old Fletcher. I know he’s not the main character of this story, but he’s still one of my favorite characters, and he stole the scene just about every time he was in one. That being said, I really enjoyed getting to know Hollis and Ana’s story this time around. It was fun to see them figure out each other’s deep, dark secrets.

Just like with the first book in this series, I really enjoyed the Penny Dreadful stories. I’m looking forward to getting to know more of the Dread Penny Society, and highly recommend this series.

Once Hollis Darby met Ana Newport, he was smitten. Ana is an accomplished music teacher at a girls school, she spent part of her life among the upper classes, but her family was disgraced after her father lost his fortune through a ruthless business partner. Ana is determined to reclaim the things that were taken from her family and has spent years quietly removing them from the homes of the people who stole them. She is intelligent and strong-willed and every bit a match for Hollis Darby.
Hollis is a member of a family that was close to ruin due to gambling. His brother has been trying to raise the status and reputation of the family. Hollis, knowing his family cannot support him, has become a successful penny-dreadful author. Using an alias so no one connects him to the lower class literature, he enjoys bringing entertainment to children and adults alike.
Hollis and Ana are thrown together through a series of events; Hollis' brother needs a music tutor and Ana is selected for the position, Hollis is trying to track down a thief, and they are both out to protect the children of London from nefarious men and organizations.
This is the second in Sarah M. Eden's Penny Dreadful series, and it is just as delightful as the first. It is engaging, romantic and witty.

As the second book in this series this book was well written. I absolutely loved it. I hope we get a book for every member of the Penny Dreadful Society!

#TheGentlemanAndTheThief #NetGalley

This is the second book in the Penny Dreadful Series. This book is like reading three books in one. There's a main story, and two Penny Dreadful Stories. Hollis Darby and Ana Newport, are both on the outskirts of society. Ana longs to help her father, feel like himself again, losing everything but his home has a way of changing her father. Hollis Darby has a secret, he is a Penny Dreadful author, trying to find his place. In society. I loved both Hollis and Ana and their adventures. This book has a little bit of mystery and romance. I really enjoyed it, this is my favorite, in the series so far.

3.5 -

This was difficult to get into and enjoy. Once you do, it's a little predictable but otherwise entertaining. It's not bad if you're looking for a historical fiction/romance/mystery book, though!

I found I really liked the previous book in the series, but this one wasn't quite as good. Eden's my favorite author so I've read nearly every one of her books. It is similar to her other works both in the plot and with the characters. I have to say, Ana was the only new/fresh character with the whole cast. Elliot was alright but he just blended in a little too well with the rest of her male characters.

As always, her pacing is quite well done. I really liked the climax. I don't think I've read a historical fiction that had a climax similar to this one ever before.

I wish she had put a specific date or even time period into her book. It would have helped me picture and put the whole story in the correct setting. From what I can tell we are past the French Revolution (1799) and sometime around the second Industrial Revolution (1870) but I'm not sure.

I did have to skip the stories included that she has her characters write. They're charming, of course, but they confused me from the main plot. I'm planning on going back and reading those eventually though. I do like the concept and idea of it. It must have been difficult to write 3 stories just for one book.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Shadow Mt. for the ARC!!**

The hero and heroine have secrets in this well-developed Victorian mystery romance.. Eden has a sure hand at creating likable characters and tangled plots.

If you read the first book in the “Penny Dreadful” series and enjoyed it then chances are you will love this one as well.
I personally thoroughly enjoyed them both. I wasn’t expecting a sweeping sappy romance when I read the description I expected a mystery..... so when other people say there was very little romance I’m wondering why they were surprised. I love having the penny dreadful stories mixed in- it’s like reading 3 books at once. I was entertained and that’s the whole reason I read books so I give this book a thumbs up. Now I can’t wait for the next in the series.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected release date November 3, 2020.***

🌟🌟🌟🌟
4 - 4.5 stars

Shortly after receiving this ARC, I found out that this was actually the 2nd book in the Proper Romance Victorian series by Sarah M. Eden, so I went back and read The Lady and the Highwayman first. I loved the setting and the characters, so I was excited to move on to the second book.

The Gentleman and the Thief did not disappoint. I loved Hollis and Ana, and the mischief that they got into.

Can't wait for the next installment to learn more about other characters in the Dread Penny Society!! 🥰🥰🥰

I didn't realize this was the second book! But nonetheless, I really enjoyed it! loved the mystery, the characters, and the sense of the regal culture within the book! this was a fun one!

Book two of "Proper Romance Victorian" by Sarah Eden. I just listened to the first book a week ago, so I had all the characters fresh in my mind and was ready to hear the next round of adventures. I liked this one even more than the first. I did enjoy reading more than listening, as it was easier to keep some of the characters straight. In this book we get to follow Hollis Darby and Ana Newport as they uncover a gambling ring, discover their less-than-proper hobbies, and see their relationship build. Hollis comes from a wealthy family that was almost ruined by his father's gambling. Ana was once a part of high society, but after her father was swindled, their family fell fast and hard. There is family intrigue, rescuing of abused children, the Dread Penny Society, and of course a sweet romance in the mix.

I loved that we are following a different set of characters each time, but still have the underlying story. I am really enjoying the Penny Dreadful books as well. Very clever stories that interweave with the story we are reading. And I especially love that it's clean!

I enjoyed this very much and look forward to the next installment!

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This is the 2nd novel in the Penny Dreadful series by Sarah M. Eden. The first one was slow to get into and the incerpts of the penny dreadful serials thrown in threw me off but I loved how it tied together with the main story in the end. So knowing what I knew of the first book plus plot and characters- I was so excited to read this book!

We meet Ana and Hollis in the first book. Ana is quiet and it was great getting to know her and see her become more confident. Hollis, one to normally follow Fletcher, got to lead in a DPS mission.

Four Finger Mike eluded capture one the first book and something is going awry next door to Ana’s home. Could it be a new kingpin? Thefts have been happening to the upper crusts and in plain sight. Hollis’ brother hounds on him to uphold their family name but what about Hollis’s brother being seen with Headley? A known acquaintance of Four Fingers.

I really loved this book - all 3 stories that were told. The fantasy of the dreadfuls was fun and engaging, the returning cast of characters and meeting some new ones - I love Very Merry! Eden writes it well, so thoroughly researched that you’re transported and in Victoria England. Great suspense and romance.

The third book in the series was just announced and its Brogan’s story! Thank you to Net Galley for letting me read it. These are my own thoughts and opinions.