This was such a fun story. We follow Hollis, a peer of the realm that writes penny dreadfuls in secret, and Ana, a fallen peer of the realm that now teaches music by day and steals as the Phantom Fox by night. As they get to know one another they also uncover a sinister plot marking those of the ton and taking advantage of helpless youth. The Dreadpenny Society has been on the hunt for the Mastiff, an unknown person that controls many of the street youth and is a criminal mastermind that is greatly feared. With the help of Ana and Hollis they are able to get further in their quest to ferret out who this mastermind is and they are able to thwart one of his schemes.
Hollis and Ana work well together and with those of the society. Their strengths quickly make them invaluable to the team and it sets them up to be of more use in further down the line. I’m looking forward to more from the dread penny society and I do so hope they unmask the Mastiff before he hurts more people or ruins for lives. This was a fun clean story with lots of action and intrigue with just the right amount of romance to make it sweet.

Sarah Eden is hands down one of my favorite authors. She has an amazing talent to balance tension and humor. Every time I thought my racing heart just could't take the suspense anymore I'd turn the page and smile at Mr. Higglebottom's school for the Undead, or a witty remark from a character. Her pacing flows the story from one page to the next so you just can't put it down!  

Her writing consistently impresses me. A master of character development. I'm repeatedly invested in her characters; Hollis and Ana were no exception. There was a moment near the end of the book where I thought I knew what was coming next, and I desperately didn't want it to. I didn't want Ana to become the stereotypical damsel in distress. I should've known better. The anticipated plot point never came to be and I smiled even bigger at the strength of her characters and her ability to weave a tale. Even her stories in a story were well crafted and had me quickly turning the page. This is quickly becoming one of my new favorite series'.

Sarah Eden has been my favorite author for quite awhile now and I always look forward to stepping into one of her worlds. This Victorian novel is the second in the series but can be read as a stand alone.
One of the fantastic things about this series is the penny dreadful tales that take place throughout the story. They are so much fun and you get three stories in one.

Hollis was my favorite side character in The Lady and the Highwayman so I was delighted to find out he’d be the main character of this one.
I loved getting to really know and understand his character.
I love that Ana was the “Phantom Fox” a role you would not expect from her and nor do they.
The banter and chemistry between Ana and Hollis is delightful. I love their pairing and that we got to see plenty of Fletcher and Elizabeth as well.
Sarah does a great job of bringing attention to the hardships of this time period. The villains she has written are just the right amount of despicable and I love when the DPS, with Anas help, interrupt and break apart their dastardly plans.
Filled with plenty of action, mystery, and romance this story takes you on quite a thrilling ride. Thanks to Shadow Mountain for sending me a copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

The characters were charming in this romantic novel. I loved this author's ability to help her readers understand the trials that society was facing during that era. Her characters allowed you the ability to sympathize and cheer them to success. The story line was complex enough to keep all readers engaged. The inserting of the penny dreadful stories didn't feel as smooth of a transition as the first book could claim but it was still enjoyable.

I will admit that I love Sarah Eden's books! I have never been disappointed. I was excited to read this one, but felt a little lost with the characters. It was then I realized this was book two of a series. I quickly borrowed the first book from a library, and then all the pieces fell together. This is a different genre for her, and I loved it! I lived the intrigue, the side stories happening in between. This was so much fun! I can't wait for the next one!

Good book and good plot. Not what we are looking to include at this time. A very intriguing tale and I personally look forward to reading more from this author.

I love this book! This is the second of the second of the penny dreadful society books and they are so very enjoyable. The inclusion of the characters' penny dreadful stories make it that much more fun. Hope there will be more!

Posted to Goodreads on 6/30

Although I didn't realize until about halfway through that this was the second book in a series, I truly enjoyed this book! The author does an incredible job developing characters as well as engaging in world building that feels authentic to the time period. The Gentleman and the Thief was an incredibly fun read, with a good mix of romance, action and mystery! I am excited to go back and read the first book!!

Note: Despite being a part of a series, this worked perfectly well as a standalone, and I had no trouble feeling engaged and excited about the characters and the plot line!

Another fun Dread Penny Society novel. I love how Sarah M Eden writes in such a way that the novel and the two penny dreadfuls in the book play off of each other so it isn't hard to follow each story. I love Hollis Darby and Ana Newports characters in this book. They both have secrets to hide. I know I am in for a treat each time I open the pages of a Sarah M Eden book. I would definitely recommend.

What an absolute delight of a book! Sarah Eden’s The Gentleman and the Thief is a quick and enjoyable read with characters that are so well developed and likable that they’ll feel like friends, and a plot that is so well done and intriguing it’ll pull you right in. I absolutely loved the DPS and their interactions. I enjoyed Hollis and Ana’s characters, interactions, and relationship. The events in the book moved quickly, but everything made sense. The overarching conflict was an intriguing one, adding drama, suspense, and mystery.

My only gripe with this book is that it should be made clear there is a book that comes before, where you are introduced to many of the characters and to that overarching conflict mentioned above. Despite this, I didn’t really feel lost, just left out of a good story. I don’t generally go back and read a previous book if I accidentally entered at a later book, but I may just do so here, purely for entertainment. I anxiously await the next book in this series, but I will caution the author not to drag this story out too long!

A penny dreadful love story. From the moment Anna and Hollis meet, their course is set. Both concealing shameful parts to their identity while trying to restore their family names and fortune, Hollis and Anna must find a way to be honest with each other if their love is to be realized. When a suspicious group moves across the street from Anna's family home, it will take Hollis, Anna and the Penny Dreadful societies collective efforts to get to the bottom of things.

Recommended for fun, adventurous, clean reading - 4 STARS

This is my first time reading a book by this author and steps outside my normal choice of faith-filled stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Besides the book itself, there are 2 penny dreadful stories within this book. That was great fun as I found myself wanting to find out what would happen next within those!

London, 1865 - "Hollis Darby learned two things at the knee of his not-so-dear, long-departed, low-life, scoundrel of a father: how to gamble beyond what was advisable and how to be an utter disappointment to his family.

"FOR THE POOR AND INFIRM, THE HOPELESS AND VOICELESS, WE DO NOT RELENT. WE DO NOT FORGET. WE ARE THE DREAD PENNY SOCIETY."

Very Merry was a delight - "Holis dropped his face into his hands. "How often do you hide in this room?" She Shrugged. "I like scones.""

"Thieves. Missing brothers. Shady games of chance. London was many things, but it certainly wasn't boring."

I was gifted an eBook from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own without compensation or further expectation.

I have already posted to GoodReads. REVIEWS WILL BE POSTED TO MY BLOG, AMZN, B&N, BAM, GOOGLE PLAY BOOKS, KOBO CLOSER TO THE NOV. 3RD RELEASE DATE. Thank you :)

Sarah has done it again. This novel was beautifully written. The characters we first met in The Lady and The Highwayman have returned for another great story. I appreciated the relationship that built between Hollis and Ana. I love that Sarah includes chapters containing penny dreadful written by Hollis (as Lafayette Jones) as well as a new one from Mr. King. Having these alternating chapters has been a new experience with this series from Sarah but it's been an absolute delight to experience the different stories all in one book. I loved the development of Ana's character as the story progressed.

I absolutely loved this story. Sarah M. Eden has such a way with world and relationship building, and she shows her skill throughout this story. I was both engaged in the plot and invested in Hollis and Ana's relationship from beginning to end.

Ah, yes. The characters. What to say? Hollis is pretty two dimensional, isn't he? Rather dull, right? Hah. Not even. Hollis is a brilliantly talented man who everyone overlooks due to (1) his quiet dependability, and (2) station in life. He holds a (somewhat tenuous) position in society and many in the Dread Penny Society tend to write him off as less than useful in their more active escapades. In this story we learn that there is so much more to Hollis (Mr. Lafayette Jones) than what first meets the eye. The same could be said for Ana, but I won't go into that as I don't want to spoil the fun. Let's just say she is a lady of many talents.

Facades feature prominently in the story. A number of individuals appear to be fine at a superficial level, but we learn later that they are barely hanging on, either emotionally or financially. This is a timely reminder for us today: to invest in our relationships and not depend solely on outward impressions.

It is wonderful to see relationship growth between the two brothers and to also watch the Dread Penny Society's estimation of Hollis grow as the story progresses. The story has a great payoff in the end, and I really hope we get to see Hollis and Ana in future Dread Penny Society novels. It still feels like there is more to their story, and I want it all!

Side note: there is a scene in the novel where we get to view a card sharp at work and it is absolutely fascinating! I love the details in that scene; it's fast paced and absolutely engrossing.

I cannot wait for this title to release so I can grab a copy for my collection. Such a fun read.

Thank you, publisher and author, for granting me an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 ⭐️ out of 5 ⭐️
This was such an interesting premise. A music teacher moonlighting as a thief? A gentleman moonlighting as a penny dreadful writer/spy? Um, yes please. But to be perfectly honest this was just okay for me. They were a bit insta-lovey in some ways, but that didn't bother me toooo much.

It took me a while to get into the writing style and also I did frequently get confused by the various concurrent plots (within the penny dreadfuls and the actual)....I liked that it was trying to enrich the text and the story with what the DPS members were writing about, but I felt as though it almost detracted from the story a little bit.

Hollis and Ana were definitely well-matched and cute together, but I didn't feel as though their chemistry was as well built up as it could have been.

I will say though, that I will look into the first book in the series as I would love to see how Elizabeth first joined the DPS and got together with Fletcher!

Note: I was very kindly gifted an ARC of this novel by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book was so well written and intriguing and just draws the reader in. The heroine is the daughter of a merchant whose partner stole from the company, escaped with the funds and left her father to pick up the pieces. She now works for a school for urchin children and her father lives in a single room of the large house they still own. The hero is the younger son of a family who is part of the ton, but not titled. He is a secret writer of children serials and adult books and uses a 'nom de plume'. They meet at the school for urchins and they are attracted to each other. The heroine feels that she is too low in society and the hero feels that he lacks the means to support her. This sounds just like any other similar story, right? Well, keep reading because the story takes a hard left into secrets and intrigue and the reader happily follows along. I must say with all.of the story plots and twists, this author shows a master of storytelling dexterity that keeps.the story on point and makes sense. I can give a handful of authors who can't do that and I have read 4 this week so far. I will not reveal any more spoilers or cliff hangers, for I recommend that you obtain this story and read it. The twists and turns are gripping, but the plain writing of the settings and characters and realistic situations are sublime. And you know what, thinking back, I do not think there was a sex scene, or if there was, it was not the focus of the book. What a blessed change from the vapid choices that romance readers face. The characters were likeable and grew in the story. I give this book 5 stars and a hearty recommendation to read.

3.5 Stars

This was a really sweet, charming heartfelt romance with a transportive Victorian setting!

This was a fun idea, which I think I may have enjoyed more if I'd read the first in the series. I liked the Penny Dreadful stories intermixed and how they fit thematically with the main story. I never felt fully engaged in any of the characters' lives though, and no suspense making me "need" to read the next installment.

The Gentleman and the Thief was a clean and fun new romance with a twist. I love all things English and found the writing to be light and fun but also intelligent. it was a bit slow pace for me personally but in the end I really enjoyed it.

thank you

Mysteries blaze bright, but the romance barely sizzles in The Gentleman And The Thief by Sarah M. Eden. 

Hollis is a young man who's family fortune has been gambled away by his predecessors. With his family name on the brink of falling completely in the gutter, Hollis pretends. He pretends to be a member of polite society while hiding the fact that he writes penny dreadfuls (completely untoward for a gentleman in the 1800's London). He is also a member of a secret association, the likes of which see it as their duty to rescue children from the streets and generally make London less seedy. 

Ana is a young woman with a soiled family name. Her father, who came from little, made a good investment, only to see it stolen away from him. Now she teaches at a school, and by night, she thieves back family heirlooms that were taken from them when the fallout happened. 

These two characters meet, and while it is clear they have growing affections, the more focused plot is that of an underground gambling den tricking their way into the deep pockets of the wealthy families, sometimes to the point of ruination. A link develops between Hollis's secret society, Ana's family downfall, and the underhanded cheats of London thugs. 

Focusing on these characters who are decidedly middle class is an exceptional idea. More often than not, period pieces lean either to the rich or the incredibly poor. Ana and Hollis are exquisite little characters with no flaws, perhaps a flaw in and of itself. The sweetness of their merits may be written to counteract the sordid aspects of the novel; only, even those parts aren't all that terrible either. 

Eden uses alternating voices throughout the story, which slowly mingle together, drawing Hollis and Ana closer and closer. Also included in the novel are two penny dreadful tales written by characters within the book. They are distracting and superfluous. These little tales interrupt the flow of The Gentleman And The Thief, even if they might be quite interesting by themselves. 

Overall The Gentleman And The Thief is splendidly pert. There's a sprinkle of mystery, courtship, and adventure all over the pages, and a jolly cast of characters. The villains aren't precisely villainous enough, and the romance isn't exactly romantic enough, but overall, Sarah M. Eden delivers a charming, lively novel.