The story continues, and the mystery deepens. The reader gets to know Brogan and Móirín Donnelly even better than before (and when I grow up, I want to be like Móirín!) and we also get to know Vera Sorokina, who is also one of my heroes. Olly and Licorice quickly worked their way into my heart as well.

This story deals with a lot of the seedy underbelly of London, but there are also so many good people, doing their best to help anyone they can. I think that's one thing that draws me to these stories so much, is the pure-hearted nature of the Dread Penny Society, as well as the women they meet and fall in love with.

The penny dreadful stories help a lot too. I find myself becoming so invested in each of the stories that it's hard to switch back and forth, because I want to continue on!

This is the 3rd installment of Sarah Eden's Dread Penny Society series. The series is set in Victorian England, where a group of authors has formed a band to do good and help those down on their luck. The main characters are Brogan and Vera. I loved their back and forth! It was fun to me how much Vera loved penny dreadfuls and Brogan wrote them. Their romance was very sweet. I enjoyed the action and mystery and am looking forward to the next installment!!

Penny Dreadfuls is a small 1 chapter installment story that goes out every one or two weeks and they only cost a penny. The children living on the street can sometimes afford them. Even adults Loved them. Vera Sokokina and her dad had trouble keeping the shop afloat. So she bought in the Dreadfuls to sell at the shop and it helped. Her Dad was a printer and she took care of everything else.
Brogan Donnelly was Irish and immigrated to England. He lived with his sister. He also joined the Penny Dreadful Society. They were a group of writers that helped people. He wanted to help and he did when he could. He loved the Society. But they had one large fault, they lied to their families when they went out to help someone. Brogan hated doing that to his sister, but until they all agreed, he had to.
I really enjoyed this novel. It was fresh and I loved how Brogan stands by what he believes in. I have to say there are a lot of things going on including another tale. The author wove another novel into the main one. I did find it confusing. I had never seen that before. The characters were wonderful and such fun to read. It is intriguing to read all the things they do and with such intricate planning.
I think you will find out, how good a read can be. His caring about Vera was a plus, as her caring for him.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Book Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The Merchant and the Rogue by Sarah Eden is a wonderful addition to the Penny Dreadful Series! I loved getting to reconnect with familiar characters and meeting new ones as well. Brogan may be my favorite DPS member. He's such a great combination of humor and loyalty. Vera is an incredible woman, who fights for those she loves. As they confront secrets and face villains, both old and new, Vera and Brogan's story is an engaging read from start to finish. I can't wait for the next installment in the series.

*Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced ebook copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This series continues to be loads of fun! The main couples have all been lovely, and Vera & Brogan are no exception. The cheekiness, banter, and swooniness made it so easy to ship these two right from their first meeting.

The danger in London that the Dread Penny Society faces has grown with every book, and the stakes were certainly raised this time around. The network of thugs that are threatening so many people and their livelihoods (and lives) was revealed to be even more extensive and dangerous.

I really loved the characterization of both Vera and Brogan. They were complex individuals, with their strengths and weaknesses playing off each other so well in this story. The support and care they showed each other was so sweet. I also adored learning more about Móirín and appreciated the humor and honesty that she added.

There wasn't the same level of wit and humor as in the previous two books, which I think was largely to do with the serious turn the plot took, as well as the complex and dark backstories of these two that deserved time to be thoroughly explored. I also didn't like the two penny dreadfuls that were interspersed throughout the novel nearly as much as the tales that were featured in books one and two. They were still good, but not of the same calibre as the other four.

I have my wishes for who book four will feature, and there were a few little hints along the way, so I am definitely looking forward to more romance among this great cast of characters - not to mention learning more about where this mystery will go next!

Did you read Harry Potter? Remember after you finish the 3rd book and you were like, huh, I didn't see how this one was gon a further the story at all but then with a bang it all ties back to Voldemort? That's how I felt about Merchant and the Rogue!

- Brogan! I'm excited for his story. He was so good in Gentleman and the Thief
- who owns the townhouse they meet in? Do we know who the leader is?
- I really like Fletcher. His laid back, calm sense of humor is attractive
- the whole set up with the penny dreadfuls is awesome but I'm so much more invested in the story. Maybe I'll skip them and then go back and read them at the endn🤔🤔
- I know they cost a penny but how much is that now? Were they dirt cheap? Moderate? Expensive - probably not.
- the Protector. 😨
- I like Brogan, he's a good guy. It is hard though, when you know him as light hearted and jokey and then you actually get to know him and he's not quite who you thought
- Fire 😬
- Vera 👏
- this one is heavy on the mystery and suspense, light on the romance
- oo! Plot twist!
- umbrella fighting. No one tell my kids about this.
- does Móirín get a story??
- Such a sweet romance. It was slow and steady and beautiful
- I have so many questions and I am anxious for the next book! How many books are in this series??
- I really need someone to tell me who the Dread Master is. I have guesses but based on desire not any real clues.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and would happily recommend it to anyone and everyone!

I have really enjoyed this series, but I think this might be my favorite so far. I loved Brogan and Vera. They were sweet together and such great champions. They worked so well together, building each other up. I also enjoyed the Penny Dreadfuls. There is always one that sucks me in and I skip ahead to read it all together and the same happened with this one. I love the whole concept of this series and can't wait to find out whose story will be next. I'm hoping it's Stone or Doc.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley, but this is my honest review.

The third installment of the Dread Penny Society was an enjoyable one. It was nice to finally learn more about siblings Brogan and Moirin. Their backstory is a heartbreaking one, but it’s clearly made them the lovable characters that they are. Vera was also a nice addition to the group. I really liked her and Brogan’s easy friendship turned romance. The penny dreadfuls interspersed throughout the main story just add something extra that I’ve really come to look forward to. The Mastiff is still at it and it seems like there will be more installments. I was a bit disappointed at how abruptly this one ended though. I feel like I have a lot more questions than I’ve had at the ends of the stories before. But I guess that builds anticipation for the next book, right? Looking forward to more from the DPS!

The Dread Penny Society helps the plight of the poor in Victorian London. They also raise funds by writing penny dreadfuls (stories written and sold in installments) to amuse the masses. Brogan Donnelly is an Irishmen that writes penny dreadfuls on the side while he goes undercover to try to investigate a criminal enterprise. Vera Sorokina is a Russian immigrant that helps her father run a book and print shop. She loves penny dreadfuls and helping out the poor when she can. She hires Brogan to help with delivers. Will these two be able to solve the mystery plaguing their community and the growing attraction between themselves?

This is the third book in the Dread Penny Society series, but it can be read as a stand alone novel. There is an overarching theme with an evil mastermind that is discussed in the previous books, and it looks like will continue in future books. I loved the two strong leads, Brogan and Vera. They were both interesting on their own, but I loved the chemistry between them. Eden has written a vivid Victorian world like Dickens that shows that good and the bad side of that world. The poor, downtrodden, good, and evil are all exposed.

My favorite part of this series is that there are alternating chapters of two penny dreadfuls that run throughout the course of the book. I love these extra stories.

Favorite Quote:
“People are more than their labels, is what you’re saying.”

Overall, The Merchant and the Rogue is a delightful addition to the Dread Penney Society series with great characters and story.

Book Source: Review Copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing for being a part of the Book Tour. Thank-you.

The Merchant and the Rogue, The Dread Penny Society Book 3, is set in 1865 London. Even though this is book 3, it can be read as a complete standalone. In fact, this is the first book I’ve read in the series but that did not affect my reading experience. I loved the characters Vera and Brogan and the street kids Olly and Licorice. Brogan has many secrets but a heart of gold. I was continually amazed at his kindness. Vera is also full of compassion and does what she can to keep her community safe. Interspersed throughout the main story are chapters from two Penny Dreadfuls, which were both interesting and fun. Brogan is the author of one of the stories but while on a mission for the DPS, he must keep his identity hidden. There are several mysteries between the three stories and I couldn’t read it fast enough to see how it would all end.

Many thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC to review. A positive review was not required and all opinions are my own.

Happy 📚 pub day 📚!

REVIEW FOR THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUE

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @shadowmountainpub for the #ARC!

This book is the third installment of the Dread Penny Society. I have not read the first two installments, so I was going into this completely out of the loop of the story, however, other than backstories of characters, it doesn’t seem that you need to read them all sequentially in order to get the gist of the story.

This one follows Brogan Donnelly as he tries to solve a mystery outside of the confines of the DPS. He meets a woman, Vera Sorokina, a young merchant in South London who’s father has dabbled in some dark matters. The story is broken up by the stories of the Penny Dreadfuls: the Dead Zoo by Brogan Donnelly and The Merchant and the Rogue by Mr. King. It was nice to have that break up of the story as both the Dead Zoo and The Merchant and the Rogue stories paralleled the one playing out in the book.

I’m finding that most historical fiction books are slower to start for me. I’m not sure if it’s because I have a hard time processing the old English or the different accents, but this book (along with others) was hard for me to get through. I couldn’t concentrate and found myself reading the same section and lines over and over. However, once I got about 1/3 of the way through, the storyline gripped me and it was hard to put down.

Overall, good book- definitely will add the first two in the series to my TBR list! If you enjoy playful mystery and mild romance, would highly recommend this book series!

This is basically a cosy romance with a side of adventure, with a side of nested dolls. You get three stories in one, as the main narrative is interspersed with chapters from two penny dreadfuls. One of those is a mystery of sorts set in Dublin's Dead Zoo (the natural history museum) and as someone who currently lives in Dublin, and quite enjoys that museum (you can actually do a virtual visit of it here!) I loved to read about it. And it is a rightfully creepy place to set a mystery. This one's supposedly written by our hero, Brogan, so it's nice to have a flavour of his writing (and it plays a small part in his interactions at the beginning).

The second story, by a Mr King, is actually called The Merchant and the Rogue, and is a fae mystery that acts as a counterpoint/parallel to the main merchant and rogue of the novel (Vera and Brogan). I found it quite clever to have these parallels, and I enjoyed the story onto itself.

Now, to the main bit. I'm usually wary of straight romance, especially historical, because the (gender) dynamics can be... ick. But this was not the case at all here, and I especially enjoyed how Brogan deferred to Vera on a lot of matters. The romance itself was sweet, not really sweep-you-off-your-feet but definitely cosy and heart-warming.

The mystery/intrigue part of the story was... I dunno, I was really into the bit where they resist the attempts at threatening the street with blackmail and extortion, but I don't think I really got the wider story (the whole reason why Brogan was there in the first place). Brogan is part of a secret society of writers who try to help people and solve... stuff. I realised a few chapters in that this is a second/third book in a series, focusing on other writers in that secret society. So I'm definitely missing some context here, but I don't think this was fully necessary to enjoy the book, except that I wasn't really clued in on all the intricacies of the London underworld. It did also make me want to read the other books, not really for that context (it's minimal, the main thing for me was the romance) but because those side characters piqued my interest - especially "Mr King" who wrote the second penny dreadful story.

I was also pretty happy with the ending, except that I feel like maybe a bit more of an epilogue/wrap up on the romance part would've been nice. But it does feel like there'll be another book in the series, since the overall criminal activity plot is only put to rest for the moment, so as a standalone it felt a bit unfinished on the mystery part. But I'm quite satisfied with the romance, which was my main reason for going into it in the first place.

This is my first time with the Penny Dreadful Society. The cover looked interesting. It was a very interesting story, it was actually three stories in one, as two “Penny Dreadful” novels are interspersed throughout the book. The writing was good, but I did find the addition of the other storles a bit distracting and their placement at times broke the “flow” of the main storyline. Also, the book ends a bit abruptly and I would have liked a bit more closure, but I have to assume the things left hanging will be addressed in future installments. What I did like was the connection between Vera and Brogan, it was very well done and I truly felt and believed their love connection and the author did a great job of tying everything together for a grand climax. For readers who prefer a “no-contact” romance – this book is for you, there is nothing beyond a kiss in this story and while I usually prefer a bit more steam, I didn’t feel the lack in this book. This is the third book in the series, but I hadn’t read the previous books and had no problems starting mid-series.

*Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.*

I've been looking forward to Brogan's story for a while now and it did not disappoint! I love his innate goodness and desire to help those that are struggling without seeking any attention or spotlight. The flirting between Brogan and Vera is absolutely delightful. Vera is such a perfect complement to Brogan. She is brave, kind, and determined. This story has quite a bit of mystery to it, which was so fun. The penny dreadfuls mixed throughout are a fun change. I need the next book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the second in Sarah M Eden's Dread Penny Society series. Brogan and Vera are a charming, endearing couple that meet under...slightly...false circumstances. Brogan is forced to lie to her about who and what he is in order to undertake a mission for The Dread Penny Society. When she finds out she is understandably angry but he soon wins her over when she realizes how much he cares about the poor people of London. While primarily a love story this book is also about a neighborhood that comes together in times of crisis to protect each other from the danger on their streets. A criminal is charging a protection fee to the businesses in London and this seems as though it will be a continuing arc in this series. I did enjoy this story and look forward to more!
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Merchant and the Rogue is the third book in the Dread Penny Society series by USA Today best-selling author Sarah M. Eden. With unique flair, Eden weaves a Victorian romance between a Russian print shop owner and an Irish writer, both struggling to build fulfilling lives in London. Eden deftly inserts several penny dreadfuls into the story, serialized stories sold in the print shop to keep the business afloat.

Reading these serials is printer Vera Sorokina’s secret obsession, for she was raised to distrust writers and artists. Brogan Donnelly is thrilled to see children buying his stories in the Russian printer’s shop, but wisely uses a false name when applying for the shop’s help wanted position. He later learns that Vera’s father despised writers and they “have decades of reasons to keep [their] distance from the literary set.” Vera give’s him a chance, and Brogan charms her effortlessly.

The Merchant and the Rogue is essentially three stories in one, all twined together beautifully. Each story is engaging, and interspersing them this way gives the novel depth and character. It is a delightful read, and I’ve already checked out the first two books from my local library and pre-ordered The Merchant and the Rogue for my collection.

I have been so excited since reading the first book in this series for Brogan to have his own story written. And let me tell you, it was very fulfilling and everything I'd hoped for.

If you haven't been following this series so far, you can read this as a stand-alone. But I do love the previous books so of course I'm going to encourage you to read those one as well. But, I know time is precious and sometimes you have to pick and choose what book to read. This one is my favorite of the three so far. Soooo good!!! And the Penny Dreadfuls written within this book, oh my word. My heart was pounding a little bit at the end of one of them (I'll let you read the book to figure that out). Great twists. And it has me wondering how it ties completely into the main story because the Penny Dreadfuls are written by our Dread Penny vigilantes and reflect bits of truth from their lives. Hmmm...

There's a big bad guy who has been elusive from the beginning of the series and the characters have been trying to find him and stop him. Brogan finds himself getting closer and closer. He also finds himself becoming more connected to a print shop and its proprietress. *smirk* Vera is charming. I love her care and concern for her fellow shop owners, friends and street urchins. She a Brogan are such a great duo. But there are some ups and downs in their future. The question is can they navigate those ups and downs, help save their neighbors, figure out who the bad guy is, protect each other and the street urchins, and maybe...just maybe let some feelings develop?

You guys! This book was seriously so much fun! I'm hooked by this series and the intricacies of it all. The Dread Penny vigilantes, the Penny Dreadful serial stories, the side characters, their back stories, their struggles and most definitely their strength in helping and caring for each other.

Grab a copy and read it!!! Then tell me what you think.

Content: Clean. Some mild peril. Some fight scenes that are not overly graphic. Some paranormal aspects in the Penny Dreadful stories (which is historically accurate). Some kisses but nothing further.

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

Happy Reading!!!

I just love @sarah_m_eden and her Dread Penny series (and everything she does). It amazes me how she is able to make 3 stories intertwine together and it all comes out so wonderful. When I read her first two in this series, (The Gentleman and the Thief & The Lady and the Highway Man) , I really didn’t think I would be able to keep all the story lines straight but all of these books are so good and such a great read. The two Penny Dreadful stories with in the book are not my style of books but I really enjoyed them. I can't wait to read more in the series and learn more about the other characters in the Dread Penny Society.

Brogan and Vera’s paths cross, and the attraction is both immediate and ill-advised. Vera knows from past experience that writers are never to be trusted, and Brogan has reason to suspect not everything at her print shop is aboveboard. When the growing criminal enterprise run by the elusive and violent Mastiff begins targeting their area of London, Brogan and Vera must work together to protect the community they’ve both grown to love. But that means they’ll need to learn to trust each other with dangerous secrets that have followed both of them from their home countries.

Thank you for the opportunity to read another great book from #NetGalley #ShadowMountainPublishing #ProperRomance

This is the third book in The Dread Penny Society series by Sarah M. Eden.

I haven't read the previous books, but that didn't stop me from requesting it from NetGalley, because it has some of my favourite ingredients in a book: historical fiction, a mystery, and a secret society, plus this title. It totally called my attention.

Brogan Donnelly is a writer and a member of The Dreadful Penny Society. He lives with his sister Móirín in London.

Vera Sorokina works at her family's print shop. She arrived from Russia with her parents when she was 5 years old. She's kind, smart and an avid reader. She likes the penny dreadfuls and also sell them at the shop.

Brogan has been asked by the Dread Master to take on a mission by himself. To accomplish that, he starts working at Vera's shop under a false name: Ganor O'Donnell.

Along with this main story, the author has added two penny dreadfuls by two members of The Penny Dreadful Society, Brogan Donnelly and Mr. King.

Therefore, every couple of chapters or so you find a new installment of one of the stories. They're quite entertaining!

Thanks to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I gave this book 3.5 stars. I am a big fan of Sarah M. Eden. However, I struggle a bit more to be invested in this particular series of hers. I enjoyed reading about Vera and Brogan and their immigrant experiences. I enjoyed learning more about Brogan's sister, who has been mentioned before, but never fleshed out much. I wish that there had been more emotional discovery and reckoning throughout the story. I feel like there was a lot of potential for a deeper emotional connection between the two characters but it never really took place. I also feel like throughout the series there has never been much progression of the mystery: stopping horrible men who make life hell for the street urchins of London. This book, like the others in the series is interspersed with excerpts from Penny Dreadfuls written from the characters. It was hard for me to keep track of the different plots of the different Dreadfuls as well as the main plot. All of this being said, I did enjoy the book and I thought the main characters were very endearing. As always I loved the inclusion of several street urchin children who always manage to worm their way into your heart.