I actually purchased the book after it came out and just got to it! I love the cover (and all the other covers in the series), the font, the cover 'feel.' The characters are totally likeable. It wasn't my usual fiction novel which was fun.

This felt like a huge cringefest. I tried to force myself to read this and I couldn't. I think that's partially my fault for choosing a book I wasn't certain I'd love, but there is a standard of writing that every author should reach...

I don't know how Sarah M. Eden does it time and time again but I absolutely love all of her books but The Dread Penny Society books are my favorite!! I just love this series and every book just gets better and better. With this being the 4th in the series it really does touch a lot on story lines from previous books so I would suggest reading these in order.
I really enjoy when a book only a few chapters in makes me stop and say "WHAT???" that is exactly what this book did for me. The backstory on Doc & Gemma just made my mind blown and I just loved them working together along with the rest of the DPS characters. Along with the wonderful mystery, suspense and crazy twist this is a MUST READ!!
Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book!

As a huge fan of the marriage of convenience trope, I knew I had to get my hands on The Bachelor and the Bride, and that absolutely proved to be the correct choice. This is a great addition to the Dread Penny series but can absolutely be read as a stand alone if you aren't already familiar with the rest of the series. While the slow burn wasn't quite there, I did enjoy Gemma and Barnabus' relationship and the way they grew together. I also enjoyed the way the romance tied into the overarching adventure.

Ohhh my! What an ending! I loved the action parts of the book. The romance/relationship got a little repetitive about halfway through. Same thoughts, worries, and feelings over and over again. But really, what I want to know is... when's the next book coming out?!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

A doctor who has made it his life goal to help those less fortunate than him and the daughter of a resurrectionist, desperate to stay away from the family business, make an unlikely match. Three years have passed since they first married and they have spent more time apart than together. A threat to London brings them together, but will they have a chance to fall in love?

As the fourth book of the series, Dr. Milligan is a character we’ve met before, though I can’t say I found him particularly memorable. He’s been keeping a secret. While many have tried to introduce him to ladies and encourage him to marry, he has already been married for three years. Gemma had left after three months of marriage, certain that the doctor would never love someone like her. Neither one felt capable of communicating their feelings to the other.

I was interested to see these two come together, so it was disappointing when they spent more time apart than they did together. It didn’t feel like they had enough time to get to know each other to make their professions of love believable. There was also a big revelation at the end of this story that came out of nowhere and did not make me excited for the next book. But, I do want to see the villain of the series be brought to justice, so I look forward to what comes next.

Overall, the story is well-written and full of details of the era. Fans of Victorian romances with a smidge of mystery will probably enjoy this. I received a free copy through Netgalley and all opinions expressed are my own.

Late review because I just could not put into words how much I loved this book. I don't even think my review will do it justice. You all just need to read it. 

The Bachelor and His Bride is the fourth installment in the Dread Penny Society series. Written by Sarah M. Eden, she always leaves you wanting more.

You'll enjoy this book if you like:
*Second Chance Romances
* Penny Dreadful stories
* Victorian Era
* Mystery and Suspense without being graphic or crass
* Cliffhangers

Baz and Gemma went through so much in the years that they had known each other. To be reunited again to heal their hearts was so sweet. I was rooting for them from the first chapter. The escalation of the Mastiff and his cronies was crazy. I felt like by the end of the book I was questioning everything and everyone.  I could not put this book down. So many jaw dropping moments that kept me hooked. And the cliffhanger at the end was mind blowing! 
While this book is about an individual couple, I wouldn't recommend reading it as a standalone. You will be missing such crucial information that is spread out throughout the series. 
Highly recommend it! One of my top reads of 2022I was given a ARC for my review. Thank you netgalley!

Reading these make me feel like I'm visiting old friends...so many things to catch up on, and always something new to learn. Did NOT see the double reveal at the end. As always, looking forward to the next edition.

Be it in his career or personal life, Dr. Barnubus Milligan helps people. It led to his work with the Dread Penny Society rescuing women from the streets of London — and to his marriage to Gemma Kincaid.

Gemma knows her husband never loved her and only proposed marriage to save her from her notorious, grave-robbing family. For that reason, she left six months after they exchanged vows, telling him to find her if his feelings ever changed. When a letter arrives asking her to return, she believes the moment has finally arrived. Disappointment quickly pushes out hope when Gemma discovers he only needs help to stop the Kincaids. She agrees to stay long enough to thwart her relatives’ devious plans after which she will leave and never return.

Danger mounts as clues draw a connection between the Kincaids and the head of London’s underground criminal network, but Barnabus risks losing more than his life. If Gemma leaves, she just might take his heart with her.

I discovered Sarah M. Eden recently and have devoured several of her books. One will even go down as a top 2022 read for me. So, when I saw The Bachelor and the Bride — a marriage-of-convenience no less — I rushed to request a review copy. Sadly, though, I did not connect with the story. By the end, I felt as unattached to the characters as I did when I started. I want to premise this by saying it could be my fault. I didn’t realize until I’d started that it not only belongs to a series, the mystery itself overarches throughout the installments. At no point did I feel confused, the author did a great job at making sure a new reader wouldn’t be lost, I simply never became invested. Maybe if I’d started at the beginning, I might have felt differently.

It didn’t help that the penny dreadful tales, sprinkled throughout the novel, did more to pull me out of the story than anything else. They snapped the sliver of immersion I managed to acquire. I ended up skimming most of them, wanting to get back to the main plot.

I did enjoy the mental images Eden painted of the London streets. Anyone returning to The Dread Penny Society series will probably enjoy this continuation. New readers, should probably start with book one.

This is not my Favorite book of the series but I simply love Sarah M Eden’s writing. But I love how well she researched the true events she presents of historical London. I also loved the whole concept of Penny dreadfuls and the club of writers called the Dread Penny Society who are its members and every book being a piece of a larger puzzle connecting to an overall storyline. So for me being a fan of her writing, I found all the elements that I love! Can’t wait for more of the Dread Penny Society!

Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this novel. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It's totally my fault that i did not enjoy this book more than I did, as I had not read the others and was totally lost from the beginning.

I think if I had the background I would have enjoyed the journey more.

This book had so many awesome twists and turns, the story not going in the direction I anticipated. I did love getting to see the doc and his wife. I'm a sucker for a marriage of convenience story-- throw in grave diggers, the slums of london, and a murder plot, and that succinctly sums up this book.

Well written, strong plot, characters developed and relatable. And I love the subtle romance.

This story will have you on the edge of your seat with your mouth wide open by the end! It's complicated but it's love between Gemma and Baz. The trust issues are huge. Lot's of twist. Now here's the thing there's a couple other stories within the main story to enjoy. I absolutely love this series. Pick this one up, you won't regret it!










I read complimentary copy from Netgalley and this is a completely voluntary review

The Bachelor and the Bride is a different sort of historical romance. Gemma is a strong and likable character who loves Barnabus. Barnabus is more closed off due to his past. Will they ever get their happy ending? This was the first book I've read in the Dread Penny Society series but I'm excited to read more!

Another exciting installment in the Dread Penny Society! I love how the women in their lives are becoming increasingly involved in helping, and they are looking for a way for them to officially serve, perhaps in a sister organization. Gemma and Barnabus have a complex relationship, yet it is simple enough- Gemma loves Barnabus, but won't stay with him unless he truly wants her as well. He is so focused on his career as a doctor that there is no room in his heart, or so he thinks. It takes some help for him to properly recognize and identify the feelings he has when Gemma is around, and though these two have a rocky road, especially with communication, the investigation into Gemma's family draws them closer together than ever before. The plot is intricately woven and Barnabus and the other members of the Dread Penny Society have difficulty staying one step ahead of the criminal network. There's a bit of a teaser and reveal leading into the next book and I'm so excited for it! Like the other books in the series, there is a penny novel woven into the chapters, yet I have a difficult time being drawn into those stories so I tend to skim or skip them, focusing instead on the main plot of the book.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

🤯 My mind is blown
📖 This series just keeps getting more intense. I love it.
🤯 Seriously. Mind. Blown
👨🏻 Barnabas is basically just the biggest cinnamon roll. So sweet. So compassionate. So willing to sacrifice to keep others, especially Gemma, safe.
🇬🇧 I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I LOVE the social change of the Victorian era. I just live for people who fight for and take care of people with less privilege. So. Good.
🤯 Did I mention that this book blew my mind?
👩🏼Gemma is just the best. So much attitude and spunk. So much determination and sense of self-worth. This is a girl who does not let life get her down and I am here for it.
🧐 Suspense. Mystery. Just enough spooky creepy craziness.
🥨 One twist that made me say "I KNEW IT." And one that I did NOT see coming.
🤯 A seriously mind-blowing ending. Is the next book out yet? Cause I need it NOW.

The Dread Penny Society book series by Sarah M Eden took me quite with storm when the first book came, such a fun and unusual idea and written with the author's usual excellent writing, wonderful world building and engaging characters. I loved returning to that world with the two following books, but this forth one stepped up the intrigue alongside giving us the sweet and tentative, but also painful, relationship between the main couple, gave us insights into a strange crime of the times and gave us more than one gasping surprise dangling before our noses to keep us on our toes until the next book finds it's way to us.

Even though this book is a stand alone, the enjoyment will be so much greater if one follow the tale from the first book and then along each book, as there are so many enjoyable details that you for sure will not like to miss.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in return of an honest review and I truely very much enjoyed everything about this story.

VERDICT Eden’s fourth gripping Victorian “Dread Penny Society” romance (following The Merchant and the Rogue) centers on a heroine’s unrequited love with lots of twists and turns before the hero recognizes his true feelings. The series is best read in sequence, as each novel builds on prior installments.

Fans of this series will enjoy this interesting addition!! The concept of resurrectionists has been used in several books over the last few years, so that wasn't new to me, but the way it was used in relation to this series was intriguing. I don't think Gemma had ever been mentioned in the previous books, so she comes onto the scene as a new character but having already been in Doc's life, so we learn about their backstory and their current relationship both as the story builds. One of the two penny dreadfuls interspersed throughout the story again follows like those in the previous books and parallels and relates to the main characters' love story, in a unique way. However, the second penny dreadful didn't have quite the same parallel to the actual story line as the ones in previous books did to their corresponding books but instead seemed to just follow along with Doc/Baz/Barnabus's profession. In the previous books, Dr. Barnabus Mililgan has mainly been referred to as "Doc," so Gemma's nickname for him of "Baz" and then him being referenced to by the other Dread Penny Society members as "Barnabus" or (only occasionally) "Doc" (which I remembered him being referred to mainly in the previous books) made it a bit hard for me to follow, especially when Brogan comes into the story at different times (the two Bs personally got confusing for me, though it could just be my brain, ha ha). There are quite a few twists to this one, from characters we have met in previous books and to things referenced in only this book. Every book in this series is definitely best read in order because of the continuity of the story lines from one book to the next, with spoilers for previous books in each successive book. The ending of this 4th book is left open for further books to continue in this series, so it will be interesting to see how many books are still to come in the series and which DPS member (or members?) gets their romance next, especially with a few of the details revealed at the cliffhanger ending!

Content: Clean; strong focus of situations of death/grave digging, some mention of abusive situations but no descriptions (I really didn't notice things that could be triggers, but there could be for some people I suppose, so that's why I mention them)

Holy cow I was not prepared for that ending!!! It's going to be so hard to wait a year for the final book to come out so that I can have all my questions answered. I did not want to put this book down and read late into the night until my eyes couldn't stay open. I'm going to have to read this one again because I know I missed some important clues the first time around.

There's a reason Dr. Barnabus Milligan, the confirmed bachelor of the DPS (Dread Penny Society) never entertains any women--he's been secretly married for several years!!! How did he keep this a secret?!! This is just the first of several surprises in this book. Barnabus married Gemma Kincaid to save her from her very dangerous family--they're resurrectionists!! Barnabus and Gemma haven't seen each other in three years because Gemma's moved around quite a bit to stay hidden from her family. Barnabus only contacts her because the DPS needs her help to bring down the Mastiff and his organization.

Gemma loves Barnabus, or Baz as she calls him, but she thinks he doesn't have feelings for her. Meanwhile Barnabus is a man who doesn't know how to express himself. These two were perfect for each other but were the only ones who couldn't see it. Thankfully with a little help from their friends they work things out.

Besides the story of Barnabus and Gemma, we get two Penny Dreadful stories that are woven into main story--The Bachelor and the Bride and Bodies of Light, both about doctors. I always look forward to these stories as we never know what they're going to be about. Sarah Eden really outdid herself with this book. I can't say much about the storyline because I don't want to give anything away, but this book has a lot to keep the reader interested. There's a secret marriage/marriage of convenience/second chance romance, suspense, and the continued mystery of the Mastiff. This series really needs to be read in order because the story builds with each book.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Shadow Mountain via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.