When I found out that I was given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book, I absolutely lost my mind. Veronica Speedwell is one of my favorite female heroines that I had the good luck to discover in the last year, and each book is more entertaining than the last. What makes this most recent installment to the series so spectacular is how different it is from the previous books. There is still a murder to solve, but a bulk of the story is driven by Veronica's impersonation of royalty. That's right, An Unexpected Peril sees Veronica Speedwell go full Princess and the Pauper, which is as magnificently entertaining as it sounds.

Veronica and Stoker were as always a treat, and I loved to watch their relationship develop. Deanna writes their interactions so well, whether it's the comedic banter or the more tender, romantic moments. Quotes like, "Stoker, I cannot say that I care much for your goat. He is leering at me," and, "You are the part of myself I never thought to find because I did not even dare to dream you existed," will go down as some of my favorite book quotes of all time.

I'll be honest, at the start of this book Veronica was frustrating me. She fears being tied down, and is prone to throw herself into the nearest adventure that promises danger, with Stoker following close behind. Naturally after the events of the previous book, Stoker is reluctant to run head first into danger (but we all know he still will, because that's the man we all know and love), and this hesitance and the Alpenwalder's attempts to keep her from investigating enrage her further. Her reactions to such things were aggravating at first. I love how stubborn and headstrong Veronica is, but her refusal to confront the true reason she wanted to investigate the murder in this book was aggravating, but this opened the door for her development as a character.

Overall, this was a great installment to the series. The fictional country of Alpenwald and the Alpenwalders were wildly entertaining to read about, the mystery was compelling, the story and setting were equally immersive, and Veronica's impersonation of the princess added flavor to the already enticing story. This book sees Veronica in closer encounters with her family than we have ever seen before, and I can't wait to see where future books in the series take us.

Normally the Veronica Speedwell series is one I look forward to each release and read almost immediately upon receiving it. I love the adventures Stoker and Veronica find themselves in and the settings are always amazing, not to mention the chemistry between these two is always off the charts.

And while I did like this newest installment, it felt different from past installments and I have to be honest, I didn't always like Veronica. At times she felt selfish, petulant and downright horrible in character, especially in dealing with Stoker and he concerns for her and I just felt myself not liking her at all, which is something that has never happened with this series for me. I've always admired how headstrong Veronica is and so out of characters (in the best possible way!) for women of this era but this time, it felt forced and made Veronica out to be a not very nice person and someone that was unable to compromise and had to have her way, damn the consequences. At times I confess, she didn't seem worthy of Stoker at all. In fact, I almost put this down and stopped reading altogether.

It wasn't until about the 40% mark that things felt more normal for this series and Veronica stopped acting the spoiled petulant child and started being her head strong adventure loving self again...for the most part.

Honestly if it wasn't for Stoker and his tender moments, I'm not sure I would have finished this one at all. I can't really explain it but I'm hoping with the way this one ended, the next book will be better. I'm not quite ready to give up on this series yet.

Another thoroughly enjoyable adventure with Veronica and Stoker. While there are some truly delicious moments spread throughout (both between Veronica and Stoker, as well as Veronica and her... family?), I feel the mystery itself was lacking intensity. I thinks it’s a natural let down from the events of the previous book, A Murderous Relation. That book had many high intensity moments and revolved entirely around Veronica and her kin, along with walking the tightrope of her relationship with Stoker. But here in An Unexpected Peril, Veronica throws herself into an investigation - it has absolutely nothing to do with her. And while Stoker points out her reasoning for doing so, and therefore gives her much to think about, it causes the intensity of the murder mystery to lessen. Or I became less invested.

Regardless of all that, I enjoyed the adventure and spending more time with my two favorite natural historians. And there were at least two, if not three, moments that caused me to gasp aloud, and one passage I had to highlight so I could read it again and again - swoon!

I received a copy of this book from Berkeley Publishing as a giveaway - thank you for making me a winner!

It is always nice to slide back into Veronica and Stoker's world. This duo is one of my all-time favourites and in this sixth book of the series, trouble once again finds the pair in the middle of a murder as well as the mystery of a missing princess. Naturally.

This story has foul play, a princess impersonator and a murrrrder with a gaggle of suspects and the threat of an international incident t'boot. Yes, it is all that and a bag of crisps. The mystery takes the main stage with Veronica and Stoker's banter taking a bit of a back seat this time around, but I enjoyed seeing a different side to their relationship. And yes, you'll have to suspend disbelief for one aspect of the mystery, but you'll do it because it's Veronica and we love her. She continues to be a woman ahead of her time - an independent, intelligent spitfire full of sass and a delightfully progressive attitude towards Victorian rules. And there's Stoker *le sigh*. Totally swoony Stoker.

I'd also like to give a hearty huzzah to Raybourn for her outstanding vocabulary that not only has me using my Kindle's dictionary with wild abandon, but also enables me to throw out terms like lepidoptery to the amusement and no doubt envy of my family and friends.

The stunning cover will pull you in, but its the mystery, Veronica's curious connections to the Royal family and her relationship with Stoker that will keep you coming back for more.

Note: I strongly recommend starting this series at the beginning with A Curious Beginning to get the full effect of Veronica and Stoker's connection.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Berkley publishing for my advanced copy of this title via NetGalley given in exchange for my honest review.

Once again I spent enjoyable time with Veronica and Stoker. Veronica is starting to feel trapped by domestic life and so enters into solving a murder at home with the potential of meeting her royal family. The tension between her and Stoker was very plausible and the fun (?) of playing Princess was a hoot. Altogether another fun romp in the series. This is my own opinion- Thank’s Netgalley for the chance to preview this book.

This is one of my favorite entries in the Speedwell series. The mystery was absolutely unexpected, and I loved the role that Veronica played in this story. This is one of those series that does not grow stale; in fact I feel like it grows stronger with every entry. Veronica Speedwell is a fantastic character - strong, self-assured, adventurous. And Stoker is a worthy companion for her. ;)

I am definitely looking forward to the next installment.

This sixth book in the Veronica Speedwell series is her best yet. The mystery is set in 1889 (Victorian) London, but is centered around Alpenwald culture and characters. I found them so fascinating, that I kept googling all the people and places mentioned. I finally read the historical notes at the end of the book, and was surprised that they were fictitious because I found them so compelling and realistic.

An Unexpected Peril comes after Stoker and Veronica have admitted and acted upon their love for each other. In such succinct yet evocative language, DR portrays their relationship, which is based on mutual respect, a deep love, as well as a lot of humor.

Because of Veronica’s resemblance to Princess Gisela of Alpenwald, she is asked to impersonate her when the princess goes missing. Stoker is not happy about the masquerade since they narrowly escaped death in the previous book, A Murderous Relation, but Veronica is anxious to investigate the mysterious death of a mountain climber, and friend of the princess’s who died in Alpenwald.

As the book progressed, Veronica slowly revealed to Stoker her deepest feelings, about the circumstances of her life, her fears of stagnating, and her “what-might-have-been” thoughts. Stoker, for all his gruffness and no-nonsense character, is a tender and deeply understanding friend and lover. Their relationship has grown so perfectly, that I look forward to the next book to see where they are.

The thing I admire the most about Deanna Raybourn is her wisdom and acceptance of all people, and it shines through her writing—in all of her books. She has an innate sense of goodness, and is never judgmental. I met her once and embarrassingly, burst out crying when I told her that during a Q&A moment. And what did she do? She came down off the podium and gave me a warm hug. That is Deanna Raybourn! I will never forget that.

The things I loved:
The humor: “And if you think those are regrettable, you ought to see what has become of my bosom.”........”Gravity comes for us all in the end,” I remarked. The older woman gave a bark of laughter as she eyed my own décolletage. “Mind you enjoy those whilst you can. Make the most of them before they make their descent.”

The profound musings of Veronica:
“It was astonishing to see the effect it had upon them. I was still myself, as much plain Veronica Speedwell as I had ever been, but since I had been presented to them as a princess, they believed it. The jewels and the gown and the fact that people called me “Highness” had somehow rendered me almost sacred, and there was a touch of worshipfulness I did not entirely like. Strip away the costly trappings and I was no more or less than any of them, I thought angrily. And yet they could not see past the dazzling display of wealth and power.”

The historical background:
“My poor Fritz was emperor for three months. For the whole of his short reign, they ignored him, those ministers and generals and Bismarck,” she said, fairly spitting the name. “They took one look at a dying man and knew his grip was too weak to hold power. They passed him over and went directly to the son, praising him and promising to make his wildest dreams of German domination come true. This was the great mistake, you know. They think they can control him, can use him for their own ends. But no one can control my son, and they will learn this too late. My only hope is that it will not be too late for the rest of the world.”

The lovely dialogue between Veronica & Stoker:
“You are not among the good that has happened to me. You are the best of all that I have known. You are what I searched for when ........” (I won’t rob the reader from the thrill of reading this passage for yourself 🤗

I enjoyed this sixth installment of the series, and am beyond grateful to Netgalley and Berkley Marketing that I received an ARC to review—I was happy that I didn’t need to wait until March 2 to read this lovely book.

#AnUnexpectedPeril #NetGalley

Any book that opens with, “Stoker, I cannot say that I care for your goat. He is leering at me.” shows real promise, and I am happy to say An Unexpected Peril did not disappoint.

Veronica and Stoker are drawn to investigate the death of a member of the Hippolyta Club when Stoker discovers her climbing accident was actually the result of deliberate sabotage. I won’t give away any further plot details, but suffice it to say, the investigation is anything but straightforward.

I have read all the books in this series, and feel they have improved with each installment. Veronica and Stoker’s adventures are always great fun of course, but I particularly appreciate the way the relationship and understanding between them has developed.

As always, Raybourn’s Victorian world is both entertaining and informative. There is an underlying theme of woman’s struggle to find her own place and voice in a male-dominated society that still resonates today.

I have read a lot of books over the past year in an effort to keep myself sane during these challenging times. Veronica and Stoker’s investigations have been an especially clever bit of escapism for me, and An Unexpected Peril is no exception. Excelsior!

I've anxiously awaited every book in this series since I started reading a few years back and I was perhaps even more anxious for this one after I was slightly let down by the previous installment. Thankfully, this one felt like coming home.

While organizing a memorial at the Curiosity Club, Veronica and Stoker discover the recent death of pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker-Green in the Alpenwald was no accident—it was murder. Their efforts to discover the truth take them into uncharted territory: Veronica posing as the Princess of Alpenwald when the lady in question disappears.

This mystery kept me intrigued through most of the book, but what really kept my interest was the deeper dig into Veronica's relationship with Stoker. This had been a large part of the first four books that I felt the fifth lost, so it was refreshing to see it brought back into focus. Perhaps more importantly, I enjoyed the scrutiny of Veronica's personal insecurities and fears, both internally debated and outwardly needled by Stoker. It shined a light onto her imperfections and made her feel more real to me. Nobody is perfect and Veronica is certainly no exception.

I'll definitely be revisiting this one again soon!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Veronica Speedwell and her tattooed taxidermist lover are at it again, this time investigating the death of an intrepid woman mountaineer. Everyone says the death was an accident, but was it? Add in a missing princess who bears a striking resemblance to Veronica and a moldering walrus for Stoker, and this story romps along to its satisfying conclusion. Another fine entry in the series.

This is by far my favorite of the series. As the relationship between Veronica and Stoker evolves, so does Veronica's personal growth in what she wants from her relationship with her royal relatives. Rarely does one get to explore what life might be like had circumstances of birth be different. The opportunity presented gives way for Veronica's growth and understanding of what she truly values in her life and allows her to let go of the what if's.

I'm excited to see what evolves with both Veronica and Stoker as well what Veronica does with her newfound sense of self.

What better day to post a review of one of my favourite couples, Veronica and Stoker, than Valentine's Day.

An Unexpected Peril is book 6 in Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell Series and one I've been waiting for. On any given day it's great to spend time with this couple but even more so now given what the world is going through. If you've read this series you'll know what I mean and if not...well you should pick up A Curious Beginning.

Again in typical Raybourn style, she delivers a unique story that sets Veronica and Stoker on a path filled with mystery, suspicion and, danger with a group of unreliable characters. There were new faces and new places along with some familiar faces. The mystery part had some twists and turns, quite entertaining with the usual bantering and comments that made me smile and put me in my happy place.

This Veronica Speedwell Series is one of my favorite series, I love that each story is different, the time period is great and I love watching their relationship develop. Definietely a series I highly recommend and suggest starting at the beginning with A Curious Beginning.

My thanks to Berkley for an advanced ARC (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.

The Curiosity Club, an organization of brilliant and adventurous women in 1889 London, has asked Veronica Speedwell to mount an exhibit. The exhibit is in honor of Alice Baker-Greene, a renowned mountaineer who recently died in a fall from a peak in the tiny principality of Alpenwald. Veronica, of course, as the newest member, is delighted. Her natural historian partner, Stoker, is also called upon to add his expertise. But when they unpack Alice's effects, which have been shipped from Alpenwald, they discover a piece of evidence indicating her death might not have been accidental. After all, Baker-Greene was an expert mountaineer and had climbed that peak many times. The Princess of Alpenwald, Gisela, is in London with her retinue to attend the exhibit's opening. However, when they present their findings to the Princess, her Chancellor, and the Baroness, her lady-in-waiting, they are rebuffed; until the Princess disappears without a trace. It seems that there are reasons other than the exhibit that brought the Alpenwalders to London, reasons that threaten the stability of Europe in an anxious time. Having noticed Veronica and Gisele's strong resemblance, the Chancellor and Baroness ask Veronica to impersonate her. It seems that this is not the first time Gisele has disappeared but has always returned. Stoker is entirely opposed to the mad undertaking, but that does not deter her in the least. Immersion into the duty-bound life of a Princess, a spot of breaking and entering, assassination attempts, and a close encounter with Veronica's own family, who never acknowledged her will not stop her.

An Unexpected Peril is another exciting entry in the Veronica Speedwell series, a long time favorite of mine. So many intrepid Victorian lady explorers dared to brave convention and go out to pursue their passions. Sadly, many are not well known. Women were beginning to demand the right to govern their own lives, and it is quite chilling to know what the powers-that-be were willing to do to stop them. I enjoy the characters of Veronica and the way that they are working together to accommodate each other. There are romantic moments, as well as roof-raising disputes. As always, Raybourn injects her own unique humor into the book.

I highly recommend An Unexpected Peril.

These over the top bantering adventures are great fun. Lepidopterist Veronica Speedwell and her detecting partner and love Stoker get embroiled in the mysterious death of a female rock climber in a small European mountain kingdom. While helping with a memorial exhibit at the all female Curiosity Club, they discover evidence indicating the death was murder.

And in one of those unbelievable fictional coincidences, the ruler of the kingdom is in town for the opening and -- she and Veronica could be twin sisters. Yes, a bit of an eye roller. The princess disappears before several crucial public engagements so Veronica is persuaded to masquerade in her place. Fans of the series know that Veronica herself has links to the British royal family so when she has to attend a formal dinner and ceremony at Windsor Castle, things get interesting.

Meanwhile, suspects in the climbing death abound: a mysterious mustachioed man, her personal guard, her prospective fiance, and various others from the alpine country. These novels are improbable, filled with jousting between Veronica and Stoker, and entertaining. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Veronica and Stoker find themselves in an Alpenwald intrigue when they find evidence a mountain climbing fatality was no accident. To complicate the situation, the visiting princess of Alpenwald disappears when she hears their suspicions. In a wonderful Prisoner of Zenda/Prince and the Pauper twist, Veronica is asked to impersonate the princess at a couple of social functions in London until the real princess returns. Veronica is sure this will put her in the perfect position to investigate the death of the alpinist. Stoker is adamantly opposed to this masquerade. I love the back and forth between these characters as they investigate!

I’ve really enjoyed this series of book. It’s a fun distraction. However, this one missed the mark for me. There wasn’t the same level of witty repartee and the mystery was kinda just there. I still had fun reading it but it wasn’t as great as the others in the series have been.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for sending me an ARC from a giveaway.

This is one of my favorite series. I like the adventures, the mysteries, the characters and the settings.
I never seem to be able to figure out who did it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although this is the sixth book in the Veronica Speedwell series, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this story does well on its own without having read the previous books. The problem is, I really liked Veronica Speedwell as a character and have already bought the first book, "A Curious Beginning".

Veronica Speedwell is a thoroughly modern young woman, a bit of a battle axe in petticoats. Together with her partner in crime, Stoker, they are reluctantly drawn into an intrigue to impersonate a missing princess.

I really enjoyed the constant battles of wit between Veronica and Stoker. Both characters are well fleshed out and unconventional with histories that I will explore more once I begin reading the first story in the series. The author's flamboyant use of English and spattering of words I had to constantly keep going to the dictionary to look up was both entertaining and educational.

This might be my favorite Veronica Speedwell mystery yet! This is saying something since I have pretty much adored all of them. This one, however, was just so fast-paced. It almost went at a speed I was not used to in these mysteries. The mystery was intriguing. I was very invested in Veronica solving this one as the backstory of this one was special. Then, of course, the Veronica/Stoker relationship continued to be wonderful in all of its glory.

I have zero complaints. Zero! I think if you have loved all of the previous Veronica Speedwell mysteries, you will not be disappointed here. It is always a little difficult to describe these books to others, but if you enjoy a cozy mystery paired with some romance and history, these are for you. Also, the main character is so much fun to read. She is like a scandalous Mary Poppins. She is not a nanny (at all!), but she has that confidence and knowledge I associate with the aforementioned nanny. I love Veronica Speedwell.

On the note of the main character, I would say there is a real vulnerability to Veronica in this one that has not been fully covered in the previous ones and I was here for it. Now, the only downside to finishing a Veronica Speedwell mystery is the fact that one has to wait for the next installment. Patience is not always my virtue.

Ugh. This poor book.
I struggled with the last one. And this just could not get off the ground.
Veronica’s irreverence came across as selfish and harpy. Even while she had someone else to think about she was focused on “adventure” and herself. It felt like she hadn’t grown or changed or improved since the first book - and that was disappointing.
The “mystery” was far-fetched and uncomfortable - and awful reason to throw away an amazing man.
I’m done with this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to offer my honest opinion.