I love Vera and Brogan's characters. They are strong loving characters who are humble yet give all that they have to help others. There are so many secrets going around in this story that it is tough to keep them all straight. That is one of the main points though. Living a life of secrets is a hard and sometimes painful way to live. I love watching communities come together to strengthen the individuals within. Once again I found that following 3 plot lines was distracting. It is clever how the Penny Dreadful stories within correspond to the main story. However, I find it frustrating to keep switching plot lines. Like another reviewer mentioned I think for the next book in the series I will skip the chapters that are the Penny Dreadful stories and come back to them after I complete the main story. Regardless, I am enjoying watching this series unfold.

BOOK REVIEW
The Merchant and the Rogue - Sarah M Eden
🌟🌟🌟
Thank you muchly to @netgalley @sarah_m_eden and especially @coffeebooksandmagic for allowing and recommending this one to me.
A wonderful historical tale full of intrigue, action and romance, The Merchant and the Rogue is the third in its series but can definitely be read as a stand alone.
It focuses on the DPS or Dread Penny Society, a group of gentlemen who seem to fight injustice all across London. They also write the famed Penny Dreadfuls, periodical stories or mystery and horror, much to the delight of their audience.

When Brogan Donnelly is sent on a secret mission by the Dread Master himself, he finds himself deep undercover without the protection of his brethren and in the middle of a a blackmail ring affecting the merchants in soho. He also comes face to face with the fearless and strong minded Vera and her father, who mistrusts writers and everything about them.

How will he solve the blackmail plague, win the girl and get back to the DPS? What unfurls is a atmospheric and intrigue filled tale with fantastic characters and a powerful opening for the series to continue. Great stuff.

Following 2019’s The Lady and the Highwayman and 2020’s The Gentleman and the Thief, Sarah M. Eden’s clever The Merchant and the Rogue again incorporates the history of Victorian popular fiction into a lighthearted romance. As a former pseudonymous romance writer (quite old, though not actually Victorian) myself, I love the series’ secret society of “penny dreadful” writers. Eden’s obvious affection for 19th-century “pulps” and her deft incorporation of them into her plots makes the books really fun; The Merchant and the Rogue’s pairing of an Irish penny dreadful writer and a bookseller with Russian roots adds another interesting element to its enjoyable mix.

The Merchant and the Rogue is book 3 in The Dread Penny Society series by Sarah M. Eden, published by Shadow Mountain Publishers. This story is set in London 1865 and is about Dread Penny Society member Brogan Donnelly. By working there, he is assigned to secretly investigate a Soho print shop for possible criminal connection to the Russian ambassador’s office. Brogan has to be careful not to tip off shop manager Vera Sorokina about why he is there. Local merchants seem to be at risk if they don’t pay for “protection” against sabotage of their livelihoods, so Brogan and Vera work to stop the crime spree while their feelings for each other grow.

Main character is philanthropist Brogan Donnelly who has grown up as an orphan on the streets of Dublin and is passionate about making the lives of poor children easier. I keep whishing he would value himself more, but I like him a lot and he is my favorite of this story.

Supporting character is print shop manager Vera Sorokina, who seems a compassionate and confident business woman with a heart for the street children. I find her very obedient with her father and wish she would have found courage to rebel.

I have read both previous books in the series and would probably recommend reading them in order to get the complete picture, but the story reads perfectly as a standalone too. The plot centers on the secret Dread Penny Society whose purpose is to make the lives of London’s street children better. Brogan Donnelly is an active participant in this. I felt I learned even more from this book about the difficult living conditions for poor, orphaned children in the 1800s.
As it takes place in a poor area where businesses struggle to survive and criminals find a way to exploit it felt unique as I have not read anything similar.
The dramatic mystery element of figuring out who pressures shopkeepers to pay to prevent destruction of their businesses was one of my favorite parts.

The description of when Brogan and Vera met for the first time was my absolute favorite part of the story and I loved the bantering between them. Having followed the series so far, I eagerly await what the next book will be about.

Readers who enjoy historical romance stories will enjoy this. I have read quite a number of Sarah M. Eden’s books and loved them all, so I’m sure other of her fans will too. Similar authors to explore might be Abigail Wilson or Arlem Hawks.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain, Sarah M. Eden and NetGalley for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Conclusion: In The Merchant and the Rogue, grown-up Irish street urchin Brogan Donnelly works in a print shop to secretly investigate criminal activity when he meets kindhearted Vera Sorokina who is equally passionate about poor children. Brogan and Vera’s feelings for each other grow while they work to stop the crime spree threatening local merchants.

Loved this!! The atmosphere from the inserts of the little stories in between chapters really pushed you through the book.

My four-star review was posted on Goodreads and I attached the link to the review below in the designated area.

Sarah Eden is one of my favorite authors and I have loved almost everything I have read from her, but I have really struggled to enjoy this series.

I enjoyed the main story line of the Merchant and the Rouge and loved the main characters of Brogan and Vera. Their love story was touching and sweet.

While many others I have talked to love the Penny Dreadfuls inserted throughout the books in this series, I personally find them frustrating. There are a lot of storylines and characters to keep track of. I spent the first few pages of each chapter trying to remember what was going on I that particular story.

Overall it is a fun story with engaging characters. It was actually one of my favorite storylines of the series. I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first two books in this series.

4.5/5

I really enjoyed this! I have not read the first two in the series, but I was intrigued when I saw this on Netgalley and decided to give it a go.

This novel is told in a unique format. There is the main story, set in old timey London, of two immigrants - Irish Brogan and Russian Vera. Brogan writes Penny Dreadfuls - short stories that used to come out in episodes that cost only a penny each. They were the equivalent of trash TV at the time - very popular but looked down upon as low brow. Vera works in a print shop that sells the Dreadfuls. Brogan takes a job at the shop to help him work on solving a mystery for the underground society of authors known as the Dread Penny society. He gives Vera a false identity - but soon they're tangled in a more complicated web than they expected - both in their neighbourhood, and in their hearts...

Interspersed with this main story is two Penny Dreadful stories, an instalment at a time mixed amongst the chapters of the main story. These short stories have elements that echo the main narrative.

I can see from reviews that this structure isn't for everyone, but I actually loved it! I had no problem switching between the different stories, and truth be told, I think my scattered, short-attention-span brain actually enjoyed it more than a normal narrative!

I thought the characters of Brogan and Vera were lovely, and their budding romance very sweet. I also loved Brogan's sister Moirin and would love to see her get her own story.

I had no problem following this story as a standalone but I'd like to read the previous two now. The ending of this one definitely sets up for more stories in the future, and I would definitely be keen to return to the world of the Dread Penny Society.

Sarah M Eden delights readers once again with two cleverly interwoven penny dreadful stories that tie into this Victorian whodunnit with a healthy helping of romance!  I love how the penny dreadful stories add depth to the narrative of the good deeds and challenges of the authors in the Dread Penny Society.  This book also had some highlight-worthy quotes; the pacing was good, the characters endearing and well suited, and I love the direction this series is headed!

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are completely my own.

I am very much a fan of Brogan and Vera. This series is a lot different than any of Sarah M Eden’s other novels and although there are some factors that I am not a fan of, they are always entertaining.

I enjoyed the banter between Brogan and Vera. The fact that they are both genuinely kind people was a sweet coincidence and I enjoyed the scenes where they helped people together. I was a bit confused with some factors involving the Mastiff. Hopefully future books will be a bit more enlightening on what’s going on so I won’t feel as lost.

I’m not a huge fan of two short stories being contained within a main storyline. I find that it often would detract from the story and then I would forget what happened in the previous chapters. It wouldn’t be an issue as much if I had time to read it straight through. If only there was time in the day for that to be possible. As a side note: I am more invested in the mini stories that contain some sort of romance.

I received a complementary advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. This in no way affected my opinion or my review.

Brogan Donnelly has spent several years in London, building a career as a Penny Dreadful writer. With the help of his fellow writers, he does what he can to help the poor. His membership of the Dread Penny has meant lying to his sister, a matter that weighs heavily on him. More lies pile on as he seeks information about a growing criminal organization and he falls in love with a Russian immigrant, Vera Sorokina, the daughter of a printer. Can he trust her with the truth and gain her forgiveness when he has lied to her face?

After feeling disappointed with the second book of this series, I was a little hesitant about this one but it was better than I was expecting. Brogan was a wonderful character to follow, and I loved how his back story was hinted at but never directly told until later on in the story. He reminded me of my favorite characters from this author’s other series, Longing for Home.

Vera was also an interesting character. She adores reading the penny dreadful tales, doing so in secret as her father dislikes anything to do with writers. Her own backstory causes her to consider writers as untrustworthy, though she enjoys the tales they weave. This sets up a believable conflict between her and Brogan.

This book builds on the previous one, with familiar villains we have seen before. More than book two, this tale lets us in that there is a large conspiracy that our heroes and heroines are fighting against. It will take all of their cleverness to take down the villains before disaster strikes.

Readers who enjoy Victorian romance interspersed with a much larger mystery will enjoy this series.

Up to par
Synopsis:

The Dread Penny Society (DPS) is an exclusive & secret cooperative that consists of those who write 'Penny Dreadfuls' and dedicate a part of their profits and particular skills to improving the lives of the down of their luck children and other altruistic ventures.

Brogan Donnelly, Irish and good natured, is on the verge of retiring his membership penny. Living a double life and keeping it from his tight knit sister is wearing on him, when he brings up his qualms to the mysterious & elusive Dread Master-The 'Charlie' to DPS's 'Charlies Angels'- offers him an alternative: To publicly quit the DPS & go undercover on a super secret mission. So, just to reiterate, his solution to Brogan being sick of living a lie is to embroil him in an even more elaborate and high risk lie? That's some solid logic ...

The assignment takes him to adopting an alias an getting a job at Sorokin Print shop run by Russian immigrant who was seen in company of the ambassador. The ambassador was linked to Four finger Mike, a nefarious sort who works for the criminal mastermind ‘the Mastiff’ whom we first met in The Lady and the Highwayman.

Vera Sorokina's father owns the shop and she runs the storefront. She loves Penny Dreadfuls but has to surreptitiously enjoy them as her father- ironically for running a print shop- does not like Vera reading, and he puts up a big fuss to even carry Penny Dreadfuls. This dude should rethink his line of buisness...
Due to past dealings, Mr Sorokin hates writers, thinks the whole profession is a breeding ground for monsters, and that the lot of 'em are shifty.

Brogan used to being a supporting player is nervous about rising up to the challenge of going undercover solo and not blowing his cover, especially as the shop sells his stories.

Vera is friendly, but cautiously wary of Donnelly. With good reason to be as even his name is a lie, but Vera ought to think twice before casting the first stone on that front...

What Charmed:

♡Historical details.
♡Sorokina: compassionate, discerning, and self-possessed.
♡Moirin is an empowered badass- my favorite character in this story if I had to pick.

What Marred:
✗The love story was ehh. It just wasn't anything out of the way, and for the category of 'Historical Romance' it keeps company with epic love stories like that of Rhett & Scarlett, Christine & The Phantom and Darcy & Elizabeth etc. Of course those are big boots to fill, but all the same they had a very run of the mill courtship. I have heard more romantic stories from acquaintances.

✗The problem with these type of series that remain in the same 'universe' but follow a different pair of characters each book is that we end up with less character development. In this story I also found that it was 1 step forward two steps; the star of this series is the Dread Penny Society and yet I still feel it has not been fleshed out enough, not enough revelations or lore/ Canon has been introduced as the story has continued.

✗I like the idea of the Penny dreadfuls themselves being included in the story but to make these interruptions work they would have to be more interesting than they were. Perhaps they are more accurate, as these were not high literature back in the day for a penny, and considering the audience, but it just felt like filler and dull one at that.

The Brass Tacks:
➭At the end of the day you can give a million reasons why you loved or hated a story, but those will only take you so far, it is more a gut feeling. Small things that bring a character to life, a chemistry that leaves you hopelessly invested in them, places them in a challenging situation that moves you, where they are tested in a compelling fashion, and you are helplessly tied to to the story, balancing on the edge of your seat.

Unfortunately, with this entire series I have felt quite lukewarm about it from the start. It is alright, but I have not once been enthralled by the plot nor interested in the characters- just the premiss; I think it a brilliant one, but I feel Ms Eden has not taken risks or ventured to deeper waters to bring the pages to roaring life.

Once again, I am amazed by this author's storytelling ability, not to mention the authentic historical details that she weaves so effortlessly to create realistic environments and characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the return of several members of the Dread Penny Society from the previous books in this series, and I was particularly happy that this was Brogan's story, as he and his sister have intrigued me since my first introduction to them. I liked the two penny dreadfuls mixed in with the main storyline, although I was dissatisfied with the conclusion of one, perhaps only because I was expecting something different, but I must admit the unexpected ending was quite clever. Sarah M. Eden's creativity never fails to astound me. The romance was more satisfying than in the previous books, giving me a greater sense of happily-ever-after, although it's clear this series will continue. There were a few situations where my implausibility button was pushed and suspending disbelief was challenging. For example, why do villains who outnumber and outweapon and outsize the hero/heroine stand around waiting their turn while the hero/heroine battles them one by one? And also wait for the hero/heroine to work out a plan? Overall, these were entertaining stories-within-a-story that kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning, and I'm looking forward to the next one!

Another win for Sarah Eden. I absolutely adore this series and each one becomes a new favorite gem I will always treasure. Brogan and Vera are wonderful. They each have hard pasts and heart breaking stories to tell. As always, the urchins that enter their lives steal the show and are enduring, wonderful characters. The penny dreadfuls are entertaining and spooky! I enjoy them almost as much as the story itself. The elusive Mastiff makes another appearance in this charming adventure full of surprises and page turning perfection.

The mystery is definitely building in this series with each book. I have always like Brogan so it was fun to read his story. Vera is so kind hearted on one hand and a strong leader on the other. I love how Brogan and Vera compliment each other and become better versions of themselves. Overall a great book and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review

The Merchant and the Rogue was highly enjoyable! It was awesome to read a book that combined Penny Dreadfuls, a romance and a good old fashioned mystery! Highly recommend to anyone who wants a quick fun read.

This was definitely a different kind of historical fiction. I'm used to them being very very spicy. This one was definitely more about the story. There were points when I found too much going on. I liked that we got to read the penny dreadfuls but I felt like there was a lot of stories to remember and that sometimes took away from the story of Vera and Brogan.

I really liked the two main characters and I enjoyed seeing their feelings fro each other bloom. I wish there would have been even more of that. At some point I felt like they were in love and I didn't really see or understand how they got there.

This is the third in the series and I definitely recommend reading the other two books first. I didn't and I think that can account for a lot of my confusion.

But this was a good suspenseful book and I think you will really enjoy it if you are interested in historical fiction, but don't always like the spice that comes with it. Also, if you like the show Penny Dreadful I think you'd enjoy this book.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with this ARC.


Sarah M. Eden has become one of my favorite authors. I have loved almost everything I have read of hers. That being said I didn't love "The Merchant and the Rogue". It was ok, Vera and Brogan's story was cute. For the most part the book kept my interest. I don't really enjoy books that have stories inside of stories and this has 3 in 1. It's just a lot to keep up with, a lot of characters to remember.

Ms. Eden is one of my favorite authors especially in regency romance and truthfully if I'd been handed the first book in this series by any other author I might not have read it because it isn't my usual type of read but since I read all of Eden's books, I did. It took me a bit to get used to the Penny Dreadful stories but I found I liked them. They aren't too awfully dreadful for me. I've enjoyed each of the books more than the last.
I've seen some reviews that said they didn't find the Penny Dreadfuls necessary in the book but I think they aren't getting that the whole idea is to build a story around them. That is what sets this series apart from others. I wouldn't have really understood what the stories were if I hadn't read them in the book. I've never experienced reading anything like them before this series. It is important to the book for the reader to understand what they were and why people would be so addicted to them and seek out the next installment.
As for this particular book, I liked the main characters and hope that their happily ever after will be full of good things. And I still love that these writers are so willing to go undercover and risk danger to help the less fortunate who can't help themselves.
The evil people in this book are so horrible. I'm not sure how many books are planned for this series but I sure hope they catch the Mastiff before too long. I don't know how much more of him I can take.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

Wow! This book is so good! It is entertaining, witty, romantic, action-packed, mysterious, quick-moving, full of twists, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "The Merchant and the Rogue", I was whisked back in time to the Victorian Era, and went on quite a journey with this story.

This is the third book in Sarah M. Eden's "The Dread Penny Society" series, and, this series is simply incredible! Ms. Eden has such a brilliant and unique way of storytelling, and I am immediately drawn into any book of hers from the first page to the last. Her characters all feel like such incredibly real people, and each has a distinct personality. Every moment is so well-thought out and helps to push the plot forward in one way or another, and I truly forgot that I was reading much of the time, as I felt I was right there back in time. I can only imagine the amount of research Ms. Eden must have done, as every aspect of this book felt so authentic to the era it is set in.

Vera works in her family's bookshop, and she absolutely loves to read Penny Dreadfuls. Brogan is a Penny Dreadful writer, and is member of The Dread Penny Society, a society whose main goal is to help those in need. When Brogan begins to work in the bookshop, he and Vera start to get to know one another, and their chemistry is quick to start. Both are so passionate about helping those in need, and have such kinds hearts. Both have understandable fears as well. With secrets, lies, danger, and much more, will these two allow their hearts to lead them to love? I do not want to spoil anything in this review, so, I will simply say, you must read this book!

Furthermore, Ms. Eden seamlessly weaves in pieces of Penny Dreadfuls throughout the book, and I feel like they really help to add to the story. I also loved seeing some characters from previous books in the series as well!

If you enjoy historical romance and / or historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It had me turning the pages to see what would happen next, and I had such a hard time putting this book down. I hope this series continues, and that we see many of these characters again! I hope we see more or Moiron's story soon as well!

Thank you so much to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, and to Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending me a physical ARC as well, it is incredible! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.