Before starting this book I knew it had a cliffhanger, so thankfully I was prepared. Wow! What a cliffhanger. The next book cannot come soon enough. This is such an interesting series. I love the DPS. The characters are so good and trying their best to help the vulnerable. It was great getting to know Doc or Barnabas or Baz depending on who was talking to him. He was more interesting than I expected. I loved Gemma. She was so good and just wanted to be loved and wanted. This series always deals with some pretty hard historical truths and this one was no exception. There were a few revelations made and more pieces for the final puzzle. I can't wait to see it finished. I enjoyed Mr. King's penny dreadful. It was full of whimsy. Sadly, I wasn't a fan of Doc's book. It was interesting sometimes, but just not for me.

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

Set in 1866 London, The Bachelor and the Bride is the fourth in the clever, bright, twisty, suspenseful and beautifully orchestrated series, one which would be a shame to miss. Sarah Eden's ingenious writing elevates a five star read to a rock solid five star wonder in my books. Laden with wit and dripping with atmosphere, the story fully hooked me from the get go. The historical details about the working class London and the Penny Dreadful chapters could not be more captivating. My supper was later than usual as this book took easy precedence!

Secretive Dr. Barnabas Milligan is known to be a bachelor, uninterested in love, and is always desperate to help others out of difficult situations. He has a task for feisty, intelligent and pretty Gemma of the notorious Kincaid clan. Only problem is, she hopes for more. Turns out he is not a bachelor after all. Resurrectionists, crime rings and secret societies abound in this thrillery book so full of cunning it's not possible to throw a brick without hitting it. The quick pace and excitement really kept me on edge and longing for more. I got absolutely lost in it.

Historical Fiction readers, especially those who crave layers of red herrings and snippets of clean romance sprinkled throughout should prioritize this book and series. Pure delight and well worth reading. I really like that the author weaves in an air of mystery without the need to explain every single thing to the reader as others do. Can't wait to see what Sarah Eden has in store next! The possibilities are pleasantly swirling in my brain.

My sincere thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this extraordinary book and introducing me to a favourite series.

read if you love:
📜penny dreadfuls
📜marriage of convenience
📜second chances
📜found family
📜victorian romance
📜mystery
📜hidden identities
📜slow burn

“𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.”

don’t sleep on this series, guys! if you haven’t started, now is the time. i have thoroughly enjoyed the first three installments of the dread penny society series, but sarah m. eden knocked it out of the park with the bachelor and the bride.

this book starts off like the others, focusing on a new couple and chapters interlaced with entertaining penny dreadfuls. the mastiff is still active, but now he’s teaming up with a fearful family of resurrectionists — the kincaid’s. enter gemma kincaid aka gemma milligan, wife of dr. barnabus milligan. wait, doc has a wife?!although they have been married for three years, they’ve been living apart due to doc’s inability to fall in love and none of the members of DPS knew. what started as a marriage of convenience to save gemma from her villainous family quickly becomes a real marriage. with gemma back, baz is forced to recognize his feelings for what they truly are — love. swoon!! i loved that these two finally found a family with each other. they were willing to do anything for each other and it simply melted my heart.

but the best part of this story were the revelations at the end leaving so many questions. “the tempest is coming.” the dread master — what!?!?! and omg can moirin and parkington just get together already?! please tell me i’m not the only one shipping these two!! i know this book just came out, but i cannot wait for the next one!!

thank you to shadow mountain publishing and netgalley for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.

The Bachelor and the Bride by Sarah M Eden

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
_____________________________________________________________
Story Notes

This series just keeps getting better with every successive story!! I loved returning to the London streets with the DPS and their many friends. We finally get to read Doc’s story and what a fantastic one it is! The man the DPS has long thought would never let himself be snared by marriage is, in actuality, married. This plot line provided plenty of snarky comments and witty banter from everyone. Gemma is a delightful character with no small amount of courage and strength. And her heart shines through in everything she does…..including quietly loving Doc until he realizes his own heart is held by her. The interaction of Doc and Gemma with the rest of the DPS was such fun to read. They are all truly good friends with a willingness to fight however long and hard to protect each other. The Dread Penny stories were also really interesting and well tied to the main story. But, y’all, the ending of this book is EVERYTHING!!! I refuse to spoil it but you better have this series and especially this book on your TBR. The ending will have you both crowing in victory at the things revealed and groaning with the realization that it created SO MANY more questions. So, get yourself a copy and come join the rest of us Sarah Eden fans in our impatient anticipation of the rest of the series.

I received this complimentary E-ARC from Sarah via NetGalley. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review but am so very pleased to do so. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Best one yet! I say that each time, but Ms Eden out does herself with each new story. They just keep getting better and better. Doc is a mystery-but in this book you discover more about the man and why he is the way he is. Gemma is truly a gem. Her life hasn’t been easy in the slightest but she has come through with a smile and a kind word. The two discover that being together just might be the best decision either of them have ever made.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Oh, my stars! This book was definitely entertaining. I love the Penny Dreadfuls found within the story and this time, the reader was treated to two. As a disclaimer, this is a series that must be read in order, as there is a wonderful mysterious thread that slowly unravels a bit more with each installment.

Barnabus (Baz) is thought to be an eternal bachelor, but then his wife, Gemma, shows up. It's a case of unrequited love and was a marriage of...convenience? Rescue? Gemma's family is truly frightening, for they are Resurrectionists, and this story is well-written in a way that delivers a delightful suspense, mingled with romance, selflessness, and discovery. I loved seeing this cast of characters interact, brainstorm, and come together to fulfill their common mission, but the chilling twists and turns were gripping. I can't wait for more!

Content: very mild romance; mild+ moments of violence, death, peril

*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.*

Ahhh Sarah Eden. How do I even begin to speak of my love for you? She can literally do no wrong. And I will never change my opinion on that. This book is SO well done. I picked it up and couldn't put it down until it was finished. Which is saying something, because I had to get up early the next day and get kids to school. Needless to say, I was a Walking Dead extra that whole day. But it was absolutely worth it. You get like 3 stories all in one. And each one is unique and will suck you in. And the romance...Just go read it. ASAP!

London, 1866
Dr. Barnabus Milligan has always felt called to help people, whether that means setting a broken bone or rescuing the impoverished women of London from their desperate lives on the streets as part of his work with the Dread Penny Society. Three years ago, he helped rescue Gemma Kincaid by secretly marrying her to protect her from her family of notorious grave robbers. But six months after Gemma and Barnabus exchanged vows, she realized her love for her new husband was unrequited. To protect her heart, she left, telling Barnabus to contact her if his feelings for her ever grew beyond a sense of duty. Now nearly three years later Gemma receives a letter inviting her to return home. But he only wants her help to foil the Kincaids, who have been terrorizing the boroughs of London, eager to gain both money and power. Heartbroken, Gemma agrees to help, but she warns Barnabus that she will not stay for long, and once she goes, he'll never see her again.
This is the fourth book in this fabulous series, whilst it could be read on its own I’d recommend reading in order. My only quibble is that the amount of time between each book is too great because I just want to devour the whole series in one go – they are that good. The writing is great, the characters wonderful & the pace left me breathless at times. Once started I couldn't put it down & the ending!! I do like the penny dreadful that’s included in each book but I skip it & then read it in one go after I’ve finished the book so I'm not distracted from the main story. Far more of a mystery than a romance but Baz & Gemma did find their HEA
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This was an enjoyable romp of a book. I hadn’t realised going into it that this was part of a series, and I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I was able to follow this despite not having read other books in this series. There are a lot of characters and plotlines that I assume follow on from previous books but Sarah M. Eden did a really good job at setting the scene for a reader who was new to this series.

The writing is very good: it’s engaging and readable, and there was a quirkiness to it that was quite fun. I must admit I wasn’t keen on chopping up the actual novel with scenes from the penny dreadfuls one of the main characters wrote, but that was a personal preference thing as I think it broke up the flow of the story. Aside from that, I thought this was very well-paced, gripping, with something always happening to drive the plot forward, whether it was the romance or the external plotline.

The external plotline I think was stronger than the romance. It had a lot of interesting ideas, a lot of action, and some very devious twists and turns that I didn’t expect. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the romance - there were parts of the romance I really liked. It started out very strong. I really liked the angst that came with the unrequited love aspect, and I thought there were some really sweet moments between them. However, I felt like the romance moved too quickly, and whilst it was clear early on that Barnabus cared about Gemma, I didn’t believe the speed at which that turned to him loving her. It didn’t feel believable to me and I struggled with how their romance resolved as a result.

Still, the book as a whole was a lot of fun and I had a good time reading it. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a fast-paced, action packed historical romance with a solid mystery/suspense subplot. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Violence, knife violence, blood, murder, death of a parent (in past).

I loved this book! It was charming, fun, engaging and the characters were just perfection. I can't wait to read what this talented author writes next.

I feel like I would be doing the story a disservice to not give it 4 stars. It is an amazing piece of writing.
But I don’t like the characters in this 4th Dread Penney Society book as well as past characters. Barnabus Milligan is the doctor and learning more about him didn’t result in me liking him more.
Gemma Kincaid is the daughter of resurrectionists and has secretly been married to Doc Milligan for 3 years. No one in the Dread Penney Society knows about her and the reasons she left didn’t endear her to me.
The book is so very well written and researched. I know more about resurrectionists than I ever hoped to learn. The last chapters of the story are terrifying.
The Penny Dreadful story by Mr. King was great. I wasn’t very into the story from Doc Milligan.
I am left feeling unsettled by this book. It is probably an appropriate reaction to the story. I was very tempted to rate the book at 3 stars because overall I simply didn’t like it as well as previous books in the series. I think most may have a different feeling about the book so I’ll leave it at 4 stars as an indication of how well written the story is.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the book.

3.5 rounded up. Although I wasn't as invested in Baz and Gemma as I was in the previous couples, the story truly takes on a life of its own by the three-quarters mark, and the last six chapters were impossible to put down. Major plot reveals come as things that have been brewing since the first book in the series boil over, and it's really impressively well done.

When I say that I wasn't as keen on Baz and Gemma, I don't think that's the fault of the author. The writing remains well researched and plotted; it's more that their relationship didn't have the same urgency as those of the previous couples. Baz and Gemma are already married when the book opens, just three years estranged, and I found their miscommunication more unfathomable and irritating than the courtship of the characters in the previous volumes.

That said, the Mr. King penny dreadful this time around is spectacular and makes excellent use of Scottish mythology, while Baz's book sells it in its finale. If you've enjoyed the other novels in the series, you don't want to skip this one for the finale - but I definitely wouldn't recommend starting here.

In this installment of the Dread Penny Society, we learn that Dr. Barnabus Milligan has been keeping a rather large secret from his fellow DPS members. Barnabus who has been deemed a confirmed bachelor is actually married! This comes out when the members of the society were looking for answers regarding Resurrection Men working for the “Mastiff” and to the shock of everyone, Barnabus says his wife’s family are the Kincaids – London’s most notorious corpse snatchers. He hasn’t seen his wife Gemma in three years when she left because she was in love with him and he didn’t return her feelings.

When Gemma gets Barnabus’ letter asking her to come to the house, she thinks he has finally ready to make their marriage real and has realized that he does love her. She is more than a little hurt to learn that not only did he not tell anyone they were married, but he only contacted her because he needed information about her former occupation and her family. She offers the answers he seeks and asks to stay a bit, as she thought this was a reunion and not a visit, she gave up her lodgings and her job. Staying is dangerous for her heart and her person since it seems that her family is in need of her skills and is actively looking for her.

As they work together to thwart her uncles, Barnabus realizes his feelings for Gemma are deeper than he thought and he wonders if he can convince her to stay with him and give their marriage a chance. Unaware of Barnabus’ change of heart, Gemma makes plans of her own to free Barnabus of their marriage and convince her family that she is dead. But when the Mastiff warns “The Tempest is Coming” and Barnabus confesses his love and then unintentionally exposes Gemma to her family, their plans change and soon death will be the only way that can be together.

This installment is much like the previous stories which included two “penny dreadful” stories interwoven into the main story – for me, realizing this right away and remembering that reading the short stories as they appeared in the book kind of broke the flow of the main story for me, I skipped the dreadfuls and then read them after I finished the main story in the book. This book was once again very light on the romance, Gemma already loves him when the book starts and the story is primarily about the ongoing battle between the Mastiff and the DPS. So love scenes are little more than a few kisses. and there are no intimate scenes at all. This installment is filled with a lot of action, a lot of twists and turns, shocking revelations, familiar faces, death and near-death moments, and finally a HEA for Gemma and Barnabus. And if all that isn’t enough to tempt you – we finally learn who the Mastiff works for AND the real head of the DPS – one I had pretty much guessed, the other was a complete surprise 😊. This book is the fourth in the series, and could be read as a standalone title – but if you are planning on reading the entire series, I would strongly suggest reading the books in order. Overall, this was a very good read and I would happily recommend it.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

I would like to thank netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting book from an intriguing series. I love that both the characters are working class and that the book shows working class London.

Sarah Eden hit this one out of the park

All I can say is wow! There are so many surprises and a cliffhanger ending. I hope the next book is published quickly because I can’t wait to read it.

This is book 4 in the Dread Penny Society series. It can be read alone but will be more meaningful if the books are read in order. Each of the novels contains three stories in alternating chapters: the main story along with two short stories published by the characters in installments reminiscent of penny dreadfuls. Some of the authors secretly form the Dread Penny Society (DPS) to help the poor and those being exploited by the powerful criminal The Mastiff. They also form the Charitable Authors League of London (CALL) as a front for the Society.

The story takes place in London in 1866 and is centered on Barnabus Milligan, a doctor and DPS member. He is thought to be a long-time bachelor but is secretly married to Gemma Kincaid Milligan. The Kincaids are notorious grave robbers or resurrectionists. Other characters in this book are his nurse Mrs. Simms, DPS head Fletcher Walker, DPS butler Nolan, Brogan Donnelly and his new wife Vera Sorokina Donnelly who is still recovering from injuries due to a recent clash with the Mastiff, his sister Moirin Donnelly, Vera’s dad Mr. Sorokin, Elizabeth Black the headmistress of a school for young ladies who also writes penny dreadfuls as Mr. King, Parkington a police officer who helps them but doesn’t know about DPS, and Serena a woman the DPS hopes to rescue from the Mastiff along with her two children.

The first included penny dreadful short story is The Bachelor and the Bride by Mr. King.
Duncan Endicott is a man of medicine trying to save a young girl named Donella. Granny Winter tells him where to go to get a cure, gives him a sack which contains everything he will need for the journey, and has a young woman who lives with her named Sorcha accompany him. Their trip is dangerous because they encounter multiple creatures from folklore.

The other included penny dreadful short story is Bodies of Light by Dr Barnabus Milligan.
Dr Sefton Palmer sees lights on the face of a young woman named Lavinia Abbott shortly before she dies. They are similar to the lights sometimes seen at night in the bog. He gives up everything to focus on proving the lights are real, and even seeks out the knowledge of a resurrection man.

Sarah’s books pull you into the story and keep you there. The conversations flow naturally and never become tedious. If you were to underline the important parts of the story while reading, you’d be underlining almost the entire book! This book has a lot more violence in it than the previous ones in the series. It is talked about, and you see the aftereffects, but it is off the page. Since there are three separate but somewhat similar stories, I think it is easiest to keep them straight if you read a lot at a time. Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC to use for my review.

Will they let their past and danger keep them apart…

While I loved the previous two books, this one was sadly a miss for me, I struggled to fully enter the story. Even though I am usually sold to any rake with a healer, doctor, nurse … but here, Barnabus is more running in all directions than really caring/curing patients.

Oh don’t take me wrong, it is a lovely story but I did not really feel the chemistry between Gemma and Barnabus.
They make good friends, she makes him smile, brightening his days but there is not much alchemy outside this between them.
I understand he married her to extract her from her family’s clutches but why was it the sole option, he rescues women, she could have been one of them, send to a safe house, without having to wed her.
Also why does he keep her at arms length, when she offers her affection, there is nothing really preventing him from caring for her more than the usual.

They appear as more friends than anything else, she, grateful for rescuing her and he for her brightening his home.

On the other side, the back plot progresses and suddenly it reaches a turn leading the Dread Penny writers to scatter everywhere. With the promise of an unexpected new villain, and a new path for the whole group of writers.

The addition fictions into the novel were fun and I was looking forward to read them in between the changes of actions.

3.5 stars rounded up

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I always get excited when I see a new Regency or Victorian tale from Sarah Eden! The Dread Penny Society is such an unusual, charming series and "The Bachelor and the Bride" stands up to its predecessors in many ways. Barnabus and Gemma are both strong additions to the DPS crew. Because of their unique relationship (The confirmed bachelor has a secret marriage? Intriguing and intriguing-er! And wait- his wife is WHO? From WHERE?!), buckle up for hearty servings of yearning and misunderstandings. I am so invested in this couple and hope hope HOPE we see them in the future. I need to witness a happy ending for these two.

The entire premise of the story is a little far-fetched, and the ending kicks reality even further down the road, but we're already accepting that this super secret society weaves through the downtrodden streets of Victorian London, protecting the defenseless. Par for the course? It works.

Like previous DPS novels, this book contains two complete Penny Dreadfuls interspersed through the main novel. This isn't the first time I have wished that Mr. King actually existed. "His" deliciously gothic Penny Dreadful offering carries us into folklore and faerie in a time-sensitive quest to save a life. Doc's story was more directly macabre, exploring mysterious lights that appear at the time of death. Why can't everyone see them? But THAT. ENDING. THE ENDING! (shiver) Considering the main book's themes .. well .. these two dreadfuls are not out of place in the least.

My only frustration lies in the abrupt ending. "The Bachelor and the Bride" moves along at a fast pace and then ... stops? I'd classify the last chapter as a cliffhanger - or nearly so - and that's a little unfortunate. It does its job of increasing tension though, and it absolutely fits the spirit of the book. I anxiously await Book Five -- it cannot come soon enough!

Thank you, author and publisher, for an advance copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Content: mild, maxing out with kisses
Language: nothing of concern
Violence: we both witness and learn of horrific acts against other individuals, but the incidents are not graphically or gratuitously described.
If this were a movie, it would fall into the soft PG-13 range.

Yet another great installment of the Dread Penny Society. I love that these books have other books inside them. Seeing the different characters of this series grow into three dimensional characters is amazing and fun. If you don't fall in love with each couple you are reading the wrong genre.

I have really enjoyed the Penny Dreadful series from the beginning. I like its uniqueness, the Victorian era, the focus on the lower class, and the creative short stories interwoven throughout the books. How Sarah Eden manages to write so many different stories in one and yet still have a central storyline throughout the whole series with a giant mystery thrown in just goes to show how talented she truly is!

I believe this may be my favorite so far! I loved getting to the heart of the quiet Doc that we had met previously. Finding out that he had a wife that he had married out of convenience to save her just added depth to his character, and we truly get to see his heart of gold. He consistently is striving to do the right thing and in the process he denies himself so much that he does not even understand that the one person that means everything to him he let slip through his fingers.

Gemma is a beautiful ray of sunshine and the perfect balance for Barnabus, aka Doc. She has been consistently dealt a hard hand in life yet faces each new challenge with positivity and light. She fell for Barnabus in the beginning, but when the feelings aren’t reciprocated she runs away to protect her heart. Seeing them come together and rekindle the friendship that was always there, allowed them the space for their love to blossom into what she had always hoped it would be.

If you are a fan of the previous books you’re going to love this one. The same mystery, suspense, romance, and the ever hard-working DPS are central to this book. The ending will leave you reeling, dropping some big bombs yet leaving you dying to see what happens next!

I'M JUST NOT GETTING THIS...

Actual rating: 1.5 ⭐

I see so many people loving this series. I've given it several tries now. But something is just not connecting for me. I can't completely put my finger on what it is - except for the fact that the constant interruption of different stories keeps pulling me out of the mood. I did connect with the characters for some reason. The plot didn't thrill me either. The mystery didn't engage me. I just couldn't like it, hard as I tried.