I really enjoyed this story about a gentleman hiding his true profession as a penny dreadful writer and a thief working to steal back the family heirlooms that were stolen from her. Hollis is the perfect gentleman, but he secretly spends his time with people Society has written off and works to save young children from terrible futures. Ana's family was once a part of the very Society she now works for, but when they fell on hard times, everyone turned away from her and they lost everything. She refuses to allow that to stand.

Together, these two will work to uncover truths, help those who need them, and perhaps fall in love along the way. They are adorable, and all the side characters are so great. I really enjoyed this story!

I enjoy Sarah Eden's novels and this series is especially fun because it's more lighthearted than her others. The characters are fun as is the plot. I will say that I don't necessarily enjoy the penny dreadfuls that are interspersed between the main story.

Undeniably clever, suspenseful, well-researched, and deftly written, but the romance was practically nonexistent, taking third place after the action sequences and the two penny dreadful stories. I enjoyed the hero and heroine when they were secondary characters in the previous book and feel like they deserved a better happily-ever-after than they got in this one. I also expected more resolution for the primary characters from the previous book, but nothing seemed to have changed for them. Perhaps that's more realistic and I was simply feeling more fanciful about their relationship. There are many unresolved threads hanging, although that may be because this is going to be an ongoing series. I was disappointed in the relative lack of witty dialogue that I usually so enjoy in books by this author. My expectations and excitement for this book were perhaps a bit too high, but it was still without question an interesting read.

At first, I thought it was a bit slow. But then, I looked down to see what percentage I was on and BA BAMM - I was already a third of the way through. I loved the plot of this book. Even though its a romance, there's a mystery at the core. The love story is adorable, especially with the dual-perspective.

I loved the author's choice to include the stories that Hollis and Elizabeth write! They were so cute and added a lot to the story - especially Hollis because the characters he wrote reflected his internal struggle.

My one qualm with this book is that there were so many characters and code names and I was a bit confused at some parts.

All in all, I would totally recommend this book if you're into historical fiction, cute romances, or even mysteries.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for an eARC!!

The story was interesting from the first chapter for me and had me reading it all in one sitting. I liked the characters and the events, although I wanted or better said expected more from them at some points. I don't usually read closed door intimate scenes but that's what I've got.
I'm sure many people will enjoy this one.

This was my first time reading anything by this author and I am so excited she has many more offerings! I’ve already added several to my TBR list and can’t wait to dive in!
This book was captivating from the very start and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the romance, the mystery, the wit of the characters and plot.
I was sympathetic to the street urchins and couldn’t help but want to see justice served and their abuser apprehended.
I loved reading the Penny Dreadful stories and I thought they were a very clever touch to an already engrossing story.
My only disappointment with this story was the fact that it is part of a series so it leaves you at a bit of a cliffhanger with not everything tied up in a pretty little package. I’ll be honest I’m not a fan of having to wait for the next book in a series to release but I do understand that it is necessary at times to fully tie a series together. For this reason I can only give four stars.
Highly recommend and I would definitely read again.
I was given this copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are completely my own.

NOTE: This is book 2 in the series. It doesn't give away much, but will make more sense if you've read The Lady and the Highwayman.

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Miss Ana Newport is a music teacher at Thurloe Collegiate School for Girls. Her father was once a successful businessman, but his partner's poor choices resulted in a loss of the family's fortune and good standing in society. Several years after being rejected and mistreated by the ton, Ana is taking action to recover sentimental items stolen from her family.

As a long-standing member of the Dread Penny Society (DPS), Hollis Darby knows he can do more than solicit donations for their cause. When he inadvertently stumbles across a secret gentleman's club, he finally gets a chance to prove his abilities and make a difference. Meanwhile, his affection for Miss Newport grows despite learning about her past and discovering her current activities.

BONUS! Two more "penny dreadfuls" are sprinkled throughout: "The Gentleman and The Thief" by Mr. King and "Higglebottom's School for the Dead" by Lafayette Jones (Hollis Darby). While they reflect -- and occasionally foreshadow -- parts of the main story, they each have their own happy endings!

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The "penny dreadfuls" are so light and entertaining. Their unexpected twists kept me on my toes the whole time!

Between the "penny dreadfuls" and the emphasis on solving the mystery / catching Four-Finger Mike, the relationship between Hollis and Ana has less page time than would be expected in most romance novels. I would categorize this book as a mystery / crime-fighting novel with a hint of romance.

I loved the extension of the characters and underlying plot from "The Lady and the Highwayman"! It was fun to hear a little bit from Fletcher and Elizabeth again. I can't wait for the DPS to catch Four-Finger Mike and to learn the identities of the Dread Master and The Mastiff in future "installments"!

OVERALL
Some mild peril and very mild violence.
Language: squeaky clean!
Romance: clean; two semi-passionate kissing scenes.
Themes include: crime rings, gambling, cheating, financial ruin, theft, protecting children, keeping secrets, ghosts and mythological creatures.

I always love Sarah Eden’s books, but this particular read was uniquely enjoyable. In addition to the beautifully complex characters and swoon-worthy romance we always expect from Eden, The Gentleman and the Thief offered a dose of excitement, mystery, and intrigue. It is a rare bit of fun when I can be on the edge of my seat during a romance novel. And for someone like myself, who does not generally delight in too much excitement in my reading, this novel provided the perfect amount. I recommend for anyone who fancies historical romance but could appreciate a bit of adventure as well.

Another winner in this series by Sarah M. Eden. I love the Penny Dreadfuls and the stories with just enough fanciful magic to make it fun. It is fun to sort through the three stories. It takes talent to put three stories interwoven in one book with pieces that overlap.

This book was pure enjoyment and escape for me. The mystery is really just coming together and I anticipate it reaching across the rest of the series. I loved getting richer details about characters that we were introduced to in The Lady and the Highwayman. I will certainly be adding this book to my shelves when it hits the bookstores.

The romance was perfect and fun as well. As the title suggests there is a gentleman and a thief that are truly perfect for each other and understanding of each other's flaws.

This was a sweet and fun story with loveable characters and a fascinating backstory. I loved the secret, ragtag team of short story writers who went around saving street rats and keeping the street safe. Ana and Hollis were so sweet and refreshing to read about. It is so common to find books where the main characters immediately fall in love with each other and only admire their significant others' bodies through vulgar descriptions until about 60% into the book they actually start loving each other for their personality. And while I am not berating those sorts of books or characters, it was so refreshing to read characters who genuinely respected each other and their morals and boundaries and started to fall in love with each other's personalities as they encounter each other more and more as the book progresses.

I was elated at the fact that I got three stories in one. I got to follow the penny dreadfuls written by 'Mr. King' and 'Lafeyette Jones' and also got to follow along with Ana and Hollis's story. I found myself on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what happens next for all of the stories.

The only reason I am docking a little bit more than a star of the book was how slow it was. The book doesn't really get interesting/pick up until around 60% of the book. Also, Ana being exposed as a thief comes at the 50% mark of the book and wasn't the angsty dividing factor of the romance as the description of the book made it seem, it was brushed off pretty easily by Hollis.

Overall enjoyable read

3.75 stars

The Gentleman and the Thief showcases Sarah Eden's masterful writing skills. With unique dialects, an immersive world, and well-written characters, this story is a great sequel to The Lady and the Highwayman. From the beginning, Hollis Darby and Ana Newport have romantic inclinations but their differences in situations create barriers that they have to circumvent as suspense, adventure, and danger threaten the world they hold dear.

Sarah Eden's books are always a favorite of mine and this one is no different. I loved how it went from the pure romance genre to adding adventure and mystery. These additions made this book page-turning (in a digital way). The skillful writing of dialogue and character perspectives added to the genre to make this one of Eden's best works. I loved reading this advanced reader's copy and can't wait for it to come out in November to share with friends and family.

Superb novel. The character development is spot on, the story arc is believable and easy to follow, and the story line engaging.

I loved Eden's The Lady and the Highwayman, but The Gentleman and the Thief did not deliver. On the chaste to steamy scale, it's a 1. Like, I would give it to a 12 year old to read, that's how romantic it is. I expected more romance, but the main story, while between the male and female protagonists, is centered on the mystery of who/what is going on in the house next door to Ana's father's house. I didn't come to this book for that story-- I wanted sweeping romance! And promoting reading for enjoyment! And helping the underdogs! Two of these things were included. And because the emphasis is not on the romance, it drags horrifically. The two protagonists don't start to show affection to one another until 60% of the way through. It was not because of slow burn. There was no burn. None. Whatsoever. *snore*

This book left me wanting. I wanted something more from it. I felt a bit underwhelmed by the writing and the main characters themselves. The idea behind the book (a book within a book) and the story itself is what pulled me in.

The characters felt flat but were likable enough. The main characters, Hollis and Ana, were interesting but I didn’t feel the chemistry I wanted to from them. What I did like were the characters from Lafayette Jones Higglebottoms School For The Dead, the Penny Dreadful within the story and Hollis Darby’s nom de plume. Hollis is a gentleman whose family fell on low times and has given up gambling and started writing Penny Dreadfuls. Ana is a music teacher whose family lost, not only their fortune, but their standing within society with a secret life as a thief The two are attracted to each other and that attraction deepens throughout the book.

The jumping around between the book and the two different Penny Dreadfuls within the book pulled me from the story. Right as I would start the get comfortable and enjoy the story I would be pulled from that world into one of the other ones.

In all it wasn’t a terrible read but I won’t be shouting about it to my neighbors either.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

I love the Robin Hood type story that Sarah has woven. Such a fun and interesting cast of characters. I really liked Hollis. He had such a good heart and an important role to play in the Dread Penny society. Very entertaining. Sometimes the swapping back and forth between the DP stories and the main story is a distraction/confusing, but still enjoyable overall.

Victorian London, a secret society, bold women, nefarious plots, urchins in need of rescuing: This promised to be a thumping good read. Ultimately it fell short for me, though. For one thing, it read more like a YA novel, and not an especially sophisticated one, with lots of telling instead of showing and descriptions of love that could have come from a 14-year-old's diary. Plus the whole "informal union of penny-dreadful writers who save the unfortunate" just wasn't believable to me (and when they're executed well, I'm more than happy to go with far-fetched scenarios; for instance, I love the historical novels of Judith Merkle Riley). The interspersed installments of two of the in-universe penny dreadfuls added nothing and interrupted the narrative flow. Finally, the characters never felt real to me, and though we're told that the titular thief, Ana, is admirable and lovable, I didn't see it. All that said, if you're looking for an undemanding read to pass the time, this'll do fine.

Thank you, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hollis Darby may have paid his way through college with gambling, but now he makes a living by secretly writing penny dreadfuls. Gambling ruined his family and he is suspicious when his brother seems to be taking the vice up. The last thing he wants to see is his family ruined all over again. Meanwhile, he is courting Ana Newport, a music teacher who has sworn to get back what was once wrongfully taken by her family. When news of a thief leads Hollis to investigate, he is surprised to discover the sneaky thief is Ana. Together they work to bring down the illicit gambling den next door to Ana's family home.

This was a great addition to the series. Like the previous title, The Lady and the Highwayman, this also included excerpts of penny dreadfuls, one from Hollis and one from Elizabeth whose story mirrors Hollis and Ana's romance. I was happy to see those excerpts included since they were one of my favorite bits from the first book. The gambling and thief investigations also added some mystery and excitement to the romance. If you enjoyed The Lady and the Highwayman, you'll like this one.

I'm loving the Penny dreadful proper romances! This was equally as fun as The Lady and the Highwayman! I was so glad to revisit the Dread Penny Society and all of the fun characters from the first book. I enjoyed having Ana and Hollis as main characters in this book. And I especially loved the ghost school story that was told in between chapters! I hope we get at least one more book out of this series!

Another fabulous 3-stories-in-one novel by Sarah Eden, "The Gentleman and the Thief" features Hollis Darby and Ana Newport's charming romance. They were secondary characters in the first installment, although I don't think this series has a name.

Once again, Sarah Eden successfully incorporates three stories in one tome, using three distinct writing styles. Darby's nom de plume is Lafayette Jones and his story "Higglebottom's School for the Dead" is clever and so funny. The thief of King's story is a charming surprise. Both stories have satisfying resolutions.

Fletcher Walker and Elizabeth Black are secondary characters in this novel, and "Charles King" pens the story for which this book is named. Again, I love reading about 19th Century SJWs.

Eden's prose is up to its usual high standards. The content is clean and the editing is crisp. I greatly look forward to more offerings in this wonderful series. There must be, as we are left none the wiser on a certain point. This is not a cliffhanger.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this wonderful novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'll be upfront I struggled to read this book and ultimately DNF at 60%. I did not read the first book in the series. There are three other short stories running concurrently at the same time as the main story that brings the reader out of the story. I think with only one story it would have been smoother.

At this point in my reading I still have no understanding of the motivations of the main characters or why they are attracted to each other. All I know is that they like each other and that they are dancing around their feelings. The world is well drawn and the idea is very original, but it is not connecting the dots and I cannot stay interested as much as the concept and the historical fiction aspects draw me in.

I may try reading again when it gets closer to the publish date.