I didn’t know what to think of this book from the cover alone. I wasn’t sure what kind of misadventure I was about to embark on. In a way, this book reminds me a little of Jen Turano, and Pepper Basham. Both authors are witty, funny, and write about strong women and their misadventures.

I was surprised by how imaginative and enjoyable the author's scavenger hunt was. I had no idea that Clara and Theodore would meet so many endearing and eccentric people while searching for clues on the Drosselmeyer's trail. I enjoyed this incredible journey that often had me giggle. I liked the sweet, and uplifting romance in this charming Victorian steampunk type story.

If you adore how this surprising team approaches this extraordinary mission if you enjoy this genre, quirky characters, and Victorian adventures. You'll enjoy this debut novel. You won't want to put down.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

A new all time favorite for me. I want to stay here and continue to see their inventions, travels and marvels. I was captivated. Thoroughly. London, England, 1860. All seems teetering on the edge for Clara and her family, with threats of the family's eccentricities being exposed unless she marries a ruthless suitor so he can have access to their funds. Theodore wandered into her Grandfather's clockwork shop and all things flew into motion. This story would be fabulous on the screen with the automatons and with the lessons of Christian faith. Beyond fabulous read. I think I'll always picture the miniature bee and butterfly automatons in her Grandfather's hair.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ALadysGuidetoMarvelsandMisadventure #NetGalley #BethanyHouse #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarBooks #AngelaBell

One word: brilliant!

More words: I am endlessly excited when I discover a new author with a pitch-perfect voice and a storytelling talent that shines. Angela Bell's A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is such a delight! I adored the humor, the unique plotline and just the sense of whimsy and wonder that was threaded throughout the whole story. There's a lovely romance and touching emotional growth for the main characters, and the steampunk slant just adds another layer of fun. Charming all around!

I just really, really loved this and can't wait to see what Angela writes next!

We humans can be a complicated lot. Many of us have been damaged emotionally, and we take those injuries into all corners of our lives. Because of hurtful words from others, we might come to believe that we are “less than” or “unworthy” of success, strength or even love. On the other hand, many of us are determined to be strong and self-sufficient, never showing weakness or the need for assistance. In either scenario, hearts can become closed off. We don’t allow ourselves to be truly seen and loved, either because we feel unworthy, or because we could be seen as weak. When this happens, our lives become smaller. We try to maintain control over what is actually uncontrollable, and we reject the love that will soothe our aching souls.

The lead characters in A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell exhibit these same tendencies. Clara Marie Stanton has been hurt by a former fiancé. Not only has she vowed to never be hurt in matters of romance ever again, but she also feels a strong compulsion to control her environment as much as possible. This includes shouldering the burden of protecting and providing for her family as much as she is able. The compulsion is so strong, that her grandfather refers to her as her “Little Atlas”, as she tries to bear the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Clara comes to know Theodore Kingsley, an apprentice of her grandfather’s who is adept in clock repair. His heart is closed as well, but due to reasons of insecurity rather than self-sufficiency. Rejected by his family and a failure as a soldier, he feels unworthy of love. Due to his service on the battlefield, he is an amputee, and his injury also manifests itself emotionally as he sees himself as “damaged goods.” He struggles to determine his place in the world, almost like a broken cog that needs mending and purpose.

Clara and Theodore find themselves on a fantastic journey, not only on a whirlwind scavenger hunt laid out by her grandfather, but also in a race to outwit a cunning adversary who would do anything to acquire important assets of the Stanton family. Along the way they learn lessons about human self-sufficiency (or lack thereof) as well as the inherent worthiness that we carry to be loved by others and by God.

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure was such a joyful novel. Much like Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days, Angela Bell’s tale takes her readers to wondrous locations around the globe. There is a bit of a steampunk feel to the story, as certain elements would certainly have been impossible (or certainly not invented yet) in 19th century Europe. If readers can buy into the notion of a huge, flying automaton owl and similar creatures, then this story is a wonder to behold. Bell’s descriptions of the many mechanical creatures are lush and bring the whimsical items to life. I thoroughly enjoyed playing along with Drosselmeyer’s inventions and adventures.

Readers of classic fiction will find many winks to some of our favorite novels. Of course there are many tips of the hat to The Nutcracker, given Clara Marie’s name, her grandfather Drosselmeyer, the great Owl and other elements. I also spotted acknowledgements of Jane Austen, C. S. Lewis, Beatrix Potter, Clement Moore, Dumas, and King Arthur. The modern Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles even have a cameo with one particular character. This was especially amusing.

Author Angela Bell weaves a delightful tale of adventure, romance, whimsy, and redemption. Her worldview is unmistakably Christian, as God’s saving grace is mentioned on numerous occasions. It is especially applicable in the lives of Clara and Theodore. Clara is so self-reliant, her heart is closed to the possibility of romance, and she struggles with trusting God with the many obstacles she faces. She must come to learn that we need each other as well as our Heavenly Father in order to flourish in this life. Theodore’s lessons lie in understanding God’s love for him. Clara’s mother says to him, “Don’t confuse the character of your heavenly Father with the voice of your earthly one.” This is a difficult truth for Theodore, as he believed the lie that he was broken and worthless. Watching the development of Clara and Theodore, both as individuals and as partners in a grand escapade was as enriching as it was entertaining.

Given the perspective of the author, the content of A Lady’s Guide is decidedly family-friendly, but there are moments when Bell does not shy away from difficult issues. On more than one occasion Theodore recalls moments of abuse and trauma from his past. I found one scene in particular to be difficult to read, in fact. This type of material isn’t pervasive, but if the reader finds family conflict to be triggering, I would proceed with caution. That said, the darker material was handled very carefully and could have been far more graphic and troubling. The scenes that are shared merely illustrate the depth at which Theordore’s pain has reached, and it also therefore demonstrates the levels to which he can be healed.

As a debut author, Angela Bell has produced a strong and enchanting first novel. A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure seems primed for the possibility of a sequel. Given the richness of the narrative and the possibilities inherent in Bell’s steampunkian world, the options are really almost endless. My hope is that A Lady’s Guide takes off to grand success, and readers are treated to yet another international, spectacular adventure with her delightful characters.

I enjoyed this book. I love quirky characters and this one has a gem in Mrs. Stanton. She is an extreme animal activist and can regularly be found rescuing animals or protesting outside of hat stores. She tries to convince her daughter..."'Each little bird that sings,' why don't you pipe in with a convicting chant such as 'They sing no more, dead in your store?' That will ruffle some feathers of conscience (location 69)." She sneaks animals into places they ought not be and that adds to the mayhem in the book. It was delightful.

Clara has long felt she needed to protect her family from those who might declare their eccentricities insanity. When her grandfather forces her on a scavenger hunt spanning Europe with his new apprentice, she is not happy. The allure of the beauty and the grand things she sees have a softening affect. Theodore carries his own shame. One of my favorite parts of the book was watching Clara and Theodore interact and seeing them both be set free from a lot of weight they carried inside. It was beautiful.

There are some incredible marvels and adventures to be had in this book. I wish I could have seen the owl and the carousel horse and the other automatons. It was a fun, unique read. I'd recommend it.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure - Angela Bell 🦉🌍 ✨

"Just as Grand would never expect a clock to mend its own windings, God would never expect us to mend our own hearts."

🦉🌍 ✨What a fun, whimsical story with great quirky characters that go on an adventure together! This is a Christian Historical Romance that has some steampunk-ish vibes and is a great read for lovers of The Nutcracker or Around the World in 80 Days! 4 stars!

This book starts off with our main character of Clara Stanton trying to protect her family from her ex-fiancé's schemes and society's prejudice about them because they are very different! Her Grandfather brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg and boy do things get wild from here!

We see Theodore Kingsley, the apprentice who repairs clocks, desperate for a fresh start from his disappointed father who wants nothing to do with him and declared him dead. When Clara's Grandfather disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves a note behind and she goes on an quite the adventure/scavenger hunt with Theodore...

I had a fun time reading this one! It made me laugh several times throughout the story and the premise is such a unique one that I haven't seen before in the Christian Fiction market! While the first 40% took me a little bit to warm up to Clara as she was very hesitant to trust anyone, including Theodore and had quite a bit of sass with him, once she started opening up and realizing she misjudged him, I really liked her character arc and where things went, especially in the faith developments. While I am not the biggest enemies to lovers person, the ending of this was very well done and I really appreciate the romance and faith elements in the end.

Grand was also absolutely precious and chapter 27 was probably my favorite. I think anyone who loves a fun, whimsical story with unique characters, great historical background and beautiful faith content will enjoy this one! Excited to see what Angela comes up with next!

Thank you to the publisher for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Victorian book was wonderful. It was full of fun and adventure. It had a little romance and a little mystery. It was a little steampunk with automatons.

Clara is a part of a wealthy family and she is trying to hold that family together after the death of her grandmother. Her grandfather hires an apprentice who goes by Mr. Arthur as he has his own secrets and is trying to reinvent himself.

Grandfather fancies himself a matchmaker and sends the two, along with Clara's mother on the trip of a lifetime, It is a mystery to figure out, but also there to figure out is Clara learning to live again, Mr. Arthur learning to trust again, and both of them discovering truths about God and themselves.

This is a Christian fiction with a strong message about trusting in God even in the darkest moments. With all the wonder of the story, the lessons about God are well done and a perfect fit within the story. It is a magical tale with a few twists and turns along the way.

I hated to put this one down for the real world around me. It was a beautifully written escape to a world of wonder and possibility within Clara's life.

This is definitely on a list to read again. I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.,

This was a new to me author and I was greatly influenced to give it a try! The cover is so enticing and fun! I enjoyed the quirky and a bit eccentric characters. I had no idea at the time I read this book that there would be steampunk or slight fantasy elements in this story, so admittedly it took me a minute to wrap my head around that concept! However, the authors writing is creative and engaging and the story really had me invested right from the beginning. I found this to be entertaining and enjoyable and was happy to have given this new author a try!

I enjoyed this story! The characters were a tad extreme, but I found them likeable (for the most part). The journey was very special, and the lessons learned by Clara and Theodore touched my heart and caused me to pray my own prayers. The animals were a nice, unique touch to the story. I actually found the villain and that story line unnecessary (other than the character development in Clara); the journey was enough for me. That being said, I did enjoy this story and look forward to reading more from the author. Recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Oh MY Gosh !!! this book made my belly chuckle so many times .

I really loved the quirky and different feelings this book gave me. For historic fiction it really made the book for me it really did give it that edge to story which was just PERFECT !!

The plot to the story overall i thought was the perfect enemies to lovers romance , i love also so much of the mystery and thrilling moment it would pull the carpet from under your feet the connection between every character was brilliant you could not ask for more .

i thought that Angela writing over all was great and very well paced , her character and world building was on point and as she did touch on some very hard subjects to like P.T.S.D ill be honest that had to write about but i think she she wrote about it very carefully which i think is perfect .

I really did love the story so much Clara as a character is a very strong female i really love that from a historic book . also Theodore my gosh the chemistry between the two hello !! just what you need from the perfect enemies to lovers read .

im giving this masterpiece of thrilling love 5 stars

A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure proved to be such a wonderful mix of Victorian whimsy and steampunk! With nods and inspiration drawn from the likes of Around the World in 80 Days and The Nutcracker (two of the main characters are named Clara and Drosselmeyer) there is much to delight readers in this tale.

‘…her ever-amused family found their new title of “dangerous loons” quite hilarious and saw no reason to temper their eccentric habits.’

It’s whimsical. It’s full of adventure. A scavenger hunt across Victorian Europe with a cast of quirky characters and a wide variety of automatons to boot! An adventure mystery that is eccentric, humourous and somewhat bizarre. Anything is possible and more than likely probable in this larger than life story.

‘Crafted of weighty silver, the pen was outfitted with a lid, hook, and chain for attaching to a chatelaine, while the pocket-size journal, bound in crimson leather, was embossed with the words ‘An Adventurous Lady’s Guide to Travel’.

There is also a more serious side where readers contemplate how Grandfather’s clues are his way of encouraging Clara - a bit of soul searching and learning to believe again through her trust in God. This story has strong faith connections and trusting that God will sort things out.

If quirky Victorian, a touch of Steampuch and a scavenger hunt mystery sound appealing, look no further. A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure will prove the perfect escape.











This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Oh my goodness, this book was SO MUCH FUN!!! 😆😂😍 I don’t think any other book has made me laugh so much or so hard (I was seriously cackling)!!

Combine The Nutcracker, Around the World in 80 Days, a healthy dose of whimsy, bucketload of humor, and some sweet enemies-to-lovers romance with tons of witty banter, and you get A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure! From the first chapter, I fell in love with Clara’s eccentric family, especially her mother who is **extremely** passionate about animal rights and has a house full of disabled pets including a blind monkey named Bartimaeus 😂 I absolutely loved every second of following Clara and company on her grandfather Drosselmeyer’s scavenger hunt around Europe, and I was honestly sad to see the adventure end!

There were so many hilarious moments I wish I could quote here, but there’s too many to fit in this review and you won’t be able to get the full effect unless you read the book!! So just go read it, and I promise you will have a delightful time 😂😆😍👏🏻 Mrs. S and her living ermine “stole”, Fred, were my favorite characters in the book for sure 🤣 and most of my favorite moments/scenes involved them! LOL

What makes this book even better is that it’s not just fantastical and hilarious. It’s also filled with beautiful faith content from cover to cover! Clara and Theodore are each transformed spiritually as they travel the continent together, and all of the nuggets of truth woven in along the way were so good. I found myself wanting to highlight several really great quotes! 🩵

A brilliant debut, and one that will be on my top reads of 2024 list, without a doubt!! I’m so excited to see what other stories Angela brings to the world!

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is a historical fantasy novel set in 1860s London. Clara feels the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her engagement is broken, and her fiancé has been spreading the rumor that madness runs in her family. Her family is …eccentric. When her Grandfather Drosselmeyer sets off on a European trip on his flying owl, he leaves her clues to find him. She sets off on an adventure around Europe with her mother, and her Grandfather’s apprentice, Mr. Arthur. Will they be able to find her grandfather before it is too late?

My thoughts on this novel:
• The adventure, clues, and travel made this a very fun read.

• Clara’s eccentric mother was a hoot. She was an animal activist before her time. There was no creature too small for her care.

• Mr. Arthur has a sad back story of his own and is really Mr. Theodore Kingsley. He is a former soldier that struggles with a leg disability and with PTSD. His family had shunned him because of this. There was little support for veterans during the Victorian age.

• Clara and Theodore had wonderful enemies to lovers’ romance.

• I enjoyed the Christian message in the novel that Clara and Theodore needed to give their worries to the lord and move on with their lives. The message was a part of the plot, and it was a larger focus in the second half of the novel.

• This was a wonderful debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what author Angela Bell works on next.

• This novel is a clean romance.

• I loved the steampunk vibe with the automatons that grandfather invented including the giant owl that he flies around Europe on. He also invents an automaton that hatches from an egg and other neat items. This leant a fantasy/sci fi element to an otherwise historical fiction novel.

• The only weakness in the novel to me was the villain. His back story and actions didn’t quite make sense to me.

• I read the first half of this book physically and finished it on audiobook as I had a lot of driving to do for work. I enjoyed both formats!

Overall, A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventures is a fun, unique adventure and I highly recommend it.

This book was so much fun to read!

It has a little bit of everything: a dastardly villain, a strong heroine, a bit of mystery, a bit of adventure, and a smattering of romance.

But even better—automatons! Yes, it has serious steampunk vibes! And the craziest menagerie of misfit animals, and the wildest characters…it’s just marvelous!

Here’s hoping for more stories from Angela Bell! I received an advance copy from the publisher. My review has not been solicited and is completely truthful.

I honestly loved this quirky adventure in this enemies-to-lovers romance! I didn’t realize that it was also technically labeled Christian fiction, and while I’m not a fan of Christian lit, there wasn’t a whole lot of focus on the religious stuff. It honestly felt thrown in, like the author was just trying to humor Christian readers. In my mind I just omitted those parts and the story still worked. If you love hilarious characters, around the world in 80 days vibes, and a heartwarming romance this is a great choice for you!

#BookReview : A LADY'S GUIDE TO MARVELS AND MISADVENTURE by Angela Bell

It was so much fun reading this fun historical fiction and I just love the quote below.

“Oh, Clara Marie. The Lord never promised that life would be safe. But He did promise to be with us always. Whatever the harrowing journey of life may bring, rest assured, you shall never be left to face it alone.”

I never expected to love this book. The eccentric characters, the amazing automatons and the immersive details about the cities and interesting buildings in the area made this book unputdownable. I enjoyed following Clara on her adventures as well as her journey of learning more about herself and life. I especially love the faith weaved in the story through her grandfather's clues. The wisdom imparted were precious. I took my time reading this book to savor all the good things about it. I can't wait for the next book by the author. I highly recommend.

Rating: 5 ⭐
Pub date: 27 Feb 2024

Thank you Bethany House Publishers and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell is such a fun book to read! Featuring an eccentric but loveable cast of characters, an array of settings to satisfy any literary travel bug, and many nuggets of faith throughout the novel, this was a book that kept my attention from beginning to end!

The characters in A Lady's Guide took some time to grow on me. Heroine Clara Stanton begins the story as a grouchy and cautious young woman with a tendency to want to control everything around her. She frequently beats heads with her grandfather's new protegee, the mysterious Arthur, who has charmed everyone in her family but her. As the story progresses, though, Clara and Arthur need to depend upon each other and learn from each other. They help each other to grow and I came to really enjoy their story.

I loved learning about all of the cities that the characters travel to in this book. A Lady's Guide takes the reader on a literary tour of nineteenth century Europe, and I thought it was so fun that Bell chose to bring her characters to cities that we don't often see in literature. So many of the locations mentioned were familiar to me only by name, and I had fun looking up the various landmarks that the characters visited.

My very favorite part of the book was reading the letters from Clara's grandfather, whom she affectionately refers to as Grand. He passes on so many nuggets of faith and wisdom to her - I highlighted so many lines because they were just so good!

I really enjoyed reading A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure! If you enjoy books with great character arcs and lots of traveling, I think you'd like this story a lot!

I just finished this gem over the weekend! A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is @authorangelabell's debut novel and it did not disappoint!

Miss Clara Stanton's sole purpose is to protect her family from society gossip and avoid rumors that they all suffer from insanity (or so her ex-fiance says). But soon, the clockmaker grandfather disappears into the sky in a secret owl machine starting Clara, her mother and Grand's mysterious new apprentice on an adventure of a lifetime.

I loved the steampunk Victorian era vibes in this one! The author takes us all over Europe with fun details, new sights, and mysterious inventions her grandfather left as clues.

This book has great faith elements and a sweet romance. Theodore is a delight! The banter between him and Clara was fantastic. Such a charmer that one!

Great read for Christian fiction lovers who like a little quirky, fun adventure! Thank you @austenprose
And @bethanyhousefiction for my #gifted copy!

*Romance- kisses
*TW- grief, kidnapping
#aladysguidetomarvelsandmisadventure #angelabell #historicalromance #victorianromance #inspirationalfiction #bookstagram #newbooks #bookreview #booktwitter #booktour #austenprosepr

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure, a debut novel by Angela Bell, is simply wonderful faith-based romantic historical fiction. Set in the Victorian Period, this adventure with a touch of mystery features characters are who are engaging, and the plot is full of twists and turns. Clara and her family are so quirky and interesting; Arthur, the apprentice, just adds in more fun and romance. I cannot wait to read the next novel by Bell! Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I was particularly drawn to the cover and premise of this book, and decided to give it a go after hearing many a fellow reader comment how entertaining and downright funny it was.

There certainly were some literal-LOL moments, but I couldn't get into it! The story didn't draw me in, and some of the characters I found annoying more than anything--which was sad. What seemed meant to be funny fell into "over the top" instead.

I read a good chunk of it but unfortunately it just wasn't for me, so I'm DNFing at this time. I may try again later; perhaps my timing was off.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.