** “There is a God who loves us more than we could ever love each other, and because there’s no darkness in Him at all, we can trust His love absolutely. We can lean wholly upon it and follow Him into the unknown, trusting that He will carry us through sunshine and storm.” **

Angela Bell delivers an incredibly fun and adventurous story with “A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure.”

Trying to escape the shame of her zany and weird family, Clara Stanton fears retribution from her former fiance who is desperate to reveal a family secret Clara desperately wants to keep hidden. Feeling she’s the one member who must keep her family under control and protected, she lives with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

So when her inventive grandfather takes off in a flying owl automaton, leaving behind a clue to a scavenger hunt that will take her across Europe, she must rely on help from her animal-loving mother and her grandfather’s newly hired apprentice Arthur. But can she rely on her mother “behaving,” and trust a man she barely knows to help find Grand and his clues, all while staying safe from impending danger.

A story that is Jules Verne meets Enola Holmes meets Indiana Jones, “A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure” is a delightful story filled with adventure, fun, suspense and thrills. Bell creates characters with pluck and moxie, and she fills the story with a number of great themes, like vulnerability; there is One who precedes us on life’s journey; coming to grips with dependence; overcoming what-ifs (“What-ifs are not acquainted with what-is, and they spread horrid falsehoods about what-will-be, so why bother entertaining them?”); and Let Go and Let God.

She also reminds us that God will be with us, always (“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.”)

Readers will also delight in a fun reference to C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia.

“A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure” is due out Feb. 27.

Five stars out of five.

Bethany House Publishers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Clara Stanton tries her best to take care of her family, and that includes saving them from the threats of her former fiancé. When her grandfather hires a new apprentice to work in his clock making shop, Clara distrusts the motives of the new man. Theodore Kingsley wants to hide from his past: the abusive father and family that was ashamed of him. Drosselmeyer, Clara’s grandfather takes him on as an apprentice and Theodore begins to admire the older inventor with an eccentric family. Clara is convinced her former fiancé, Rupert Forrester, planted Theodore to gain evidence that her grandfather is mentally unstable. Her grandfather sets off in the skies in a flying mechanical owl, the scavenger hunt that Drosselmeyer set up for Clara begins. Clara is joined by her animal loving mother, who it seems can’t abandon any animal, especially three baby foxes, and Theodore who earns her trust eventually. Each clue takes them across Europe, and in these clues her grandfather gives Clara spiritual advice and adventure. Through danger exciting escapades, and her mother’s prodding, Clara begins to find her feelings towards Theodore have quite changed since they met. He also has his life changed by this adventure and finds love with Clara and acceptance from her family.
I loved this story! The characters were so well written, and the plot kept things interesting. The setting was so good, going to different locations in Europe and describing them. The concept was fun and Angela Bell executed it well. I loved Clara’s mother, who saves animals like the baby foxes and speaks up against animal cruelty. Theodore and Clara’s relationship was so good, especially when they started falling for each other, and the banter was great as well. Overall very much recommended.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for letting me review an arc through NetGalley. Opinions in this review are mine and not reflective of anyone else.

In a Nutshell: Historical + Adventure + Clean Romance + Christian. If all these points are appealing to you, this entertaining book delivers exactly as it promises. If faith-based content isn’t your cup of tea, stay away. I loved the characters and the story. What a charming debut novel!

Plot Preview:
1860, England. Clara Stanton, lovingly called ‘little Atlas’ by her grandfather, actually feels like weary Atlas, always worried about protecting her beloved but eccentric family from her ex-fiancé who is intent on proving them to have hereditary insanity.
When her inventive Grandfather Drosselmeyer takes on a skilled vagabond named Arthur as an apprentice, Clara is sure “Arthur” is a spy working for her ex. She has no idea that “Arthur” is actually Theodore, looking for a fresh start away from his past. Before she can confirm her fears, her grandfather disappears in his secret flying owl machine, with a note asking Clara to follow him on the adventure and leaving clues for a scavenger hunt. Clara has no choice but to obey his wishes, but she isn’t happy about his last instruction: she needs to take “Arthur” along on the audacious journey.
To make matters worse, there is someone on their trail, who wants the flying machine at any cost. How will this quest pan out for the principal characters?
The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of Clara and Theodore.

Until a few years ago, if anyone called a book 'Christian fiction', all that came to my kind was a goody-goody family story where devout characters spouted biblical verses. Because of NetGalley, I discovered, to my great happiness, that this genre spans so many more sub-categories than just family drama. This book covers a jolly adventure though Europe, and the journey is thrilling as well as soothing.

Bookish Yays:
😍 Clara and Theodore: Loveable characters who are perfect for the storyline. Both are realistically sketched, and utterly adorable.
😍 Theodore’s physical features: If you observe the cover carefully, you will see that the MMC is disabled. This aspect is used well by the author in the plot without anyone resorting to sympathy or insults.
😍 Mrs. Stanton, Clara’s amazing mom: I dare you to find me a historical novel where the mom climbs trees willingly! Mrs. Stanton is such a wacky yet endearing character, well beyond her time. Her animal rights activism (or perhaps I should say, extremism) lends itself to some hilarious scenes. (Of all her non-human charges, I loved Fred the most!)
😍 The Scavenger Hunt: The hunt felt like a combo of ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ (without a challenge) and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (without the murders.) It runs through several wonderful locations across Europe, all of which are historically accurate in rep.
😍 The themes: Theodore has PTSD. Clara suffers from commitment phobia. Both of them have grief in their past. The writing also covers social stigma over supposed lunacy. The book doesn’t feel heavy-handed despite such intense topics.
😍 The romance: Slowburn and squeaky clean and based on a soul connection than a physical one – just as I love it. Moreover, the romance elements never overshadow the core plot.
😍 The automata made by Clara’s grandfather: These were far too advanced to be realistic, but let's treat them as an appealing fantastical addition to the story. I loved their imaginativeness! They complemented the scavenger hunt perfectly..
😍 The writing: Easy-going with a balance between characters and plot. There are many sweet moments balanced with tense ones, with a generous dollop of faith and fun.
😍 Some amazing quotable quotes herein, with a memorable first sentence that has the potential to become one of the best opening lines of 2024 fiction.


Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 The Christian content: As a practising Christian, I don’t mind books having faith-based content, as long the content isn’t restricted to characters spouting biblical verses. This book doesn’t have that issue. The belief system of the characters is integrated beautifully into the plot for most of the journey. However, the balance is missing towards the end, as the final quarter has too many faith-based thoughts and scenes, which affects the pace of the story.
😐 I wish Clara’s father had had a more active role in the story. He seemed like an interesting character, but we hardly get to see him.


Bookish Nays:
😒 I wish there had been no sob-story attached to you-know-who-if-you-read-the-book. That part didn't come across as convincing, and felt more like a forced justification.

All in all, I enjoyed this adventurous romance that is more adventure and less romance. The historical elements obviously are not fully accurate considering the whimsical storyline and the innovative automata, but overall, it is still an entertaining and magical journey.

Definitely recommended to readers of historical fantasy who are okay with strongly faith-oriented content. I loved this debut full-length novel, and look forward to seeing what more amazing adventures this talented author will spin in future.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This was such an entertaining read! It is imaginative and fun, with adventure, steampunk, a dastardly villain, Victorian period details, and nods to The Nutcracker. The characters are delightful and eccentric, and I enjoyed spending time with them in this whimsical world. Each MC was well-developed, with interesting backstories and character arcs. As Clara and Theodore go globetrotting in search of her grandfather, the reader is treated to some romance and armchair travel to several fantastic settings across Europe. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. And even though the tone of the book is lighthearted, the author explores several deeper themes and topics. I was amazed that this was a debut novel! I loved the author's writing style, and the book is full of charming turns of phrase. Can't wait to see what Bell writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House Fiction for the free book!

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the chance to review this book early.

Clara is weighed down by her past and feeling responsible for the well being of her whole family. Theodore is tired of running from his brutal past. Clara’s grandfather sends them on a crazy journey to find him. While on this journey they have to rely on God and each other. Can they do it?

I, for the most part, really enjoyed this book. The only small issue I had was the character of Clara’s mom. She alternated between being annoying and being extraordinarily wise about God. Her quirky parts (being an extreme animal lover to the point of endangering people) really annoyed me.

This is a wonderful adventure about two individuals needing to learn to rely on God instead of themselves. If you like humorous steampunk bent adventures that teach great concepts, then this book is for you. If you dislike books that lean slightly toward preachy, this may not be your book.

I enjoyed every minute of A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell. The novel held my attention from start to end and was hard to put down. I know so little of Victorian steampunk literature (and did not see it marketed as such) that I missed the clues on the cover and in the book synopsis. The story incorporated futuristic technology not present during the 1860s, which required imagination and acceptance of tweaked historical details, but this didn’t detract from the story for me.

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure held the type of humor I find funny (typically I’m unimpressed with romcoms). Some of Clara and Arthur’s verbal exchanges had me giggling, but Clara’s mother provided the true comic relief. I laughed out loud so many times! The story felt light and joyful even as it dealt with betrayal and heartbreak.

A prominent issue in A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure was Clara’s desire to protect her family members in her own strength and her own way. Clara’s distrust and overactive sense of responsibility seemed very in-line with the thoughts and feelings that arise when God doesn’t protect from hard situations. Clara’s character growth took time, and I appreciated that changing her mindset was not a quick flip. The relationship between her and Arthur/Theodore spurred both of them toward personal healing and it was fun to watch their enemies-to-lovers romance unfold.

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell also held many quotable lines, travels around Europe, and a beautiful grandfather-granddaughter relationship. This novel is a keeper for my bookshelf, and I look forward to more books from this author. 4.5 Stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure
by Angela Bell
Pub Date 27 Feb 2024
Bethany House,Bethany House Publishers
Christian| Historical Fiction| Romance


Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley provided me with a copy of A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure for review:

Looking for a fun, and adventurous reach, with a unique plot line, look no further.If you're looking for an adventure with a unique plotline, look no further.


Although Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family is eccentric, they are not insane.

London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé starts spreading rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to save them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.


A shame-chaser haunted by war, Theodore Kingsley wants to leave Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who pronounced him dead behind. In England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his flying owl machine, leaving a note for Clara urging her to join him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe in order to fulfill her dreams of adventure. Theodore and Clara follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they must stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any price.


I give A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventures

Around the World in 80 Days meets Mary Poppins (I just get those vibes okay 😂) but slather on some romance, and add some fun Nutcracker references. It may not sound like it would work but I promise it does.

This debut is so fun. It’s whimsy. It’s steampunk. It’s full of adventure. The characters are quirky and so full of life. (I’m looking at you mama Stanton). I was laughing at their antics and loving their character arcs.

I loved all the clock references and the slow unravel of the past. And as fun as this story is, there are serious and hard moments as well.

This story has a strong faith theme. It demonstrates putting trust in God instead of trying to control everything yourself.

Content: past child abuse, terrible treatment of the mentally ill, violence

Whimsical, lyrical and fun—this story will bring you a little joy, mystery, and intrigue. Throw in a loving family, a quirky and strong heroine, a vibrant setting, and a message of faith this book will leave you with a sense of hope and inspiration!

This is an intriguing mix of Christian fiction, historical fiction, and romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Clara’s grandfather is a clockmaker who also makes intricate automatons in Victorian England. Due to a continuing problem with her former fiancée, Clara is suspicious of her grandfather’s new apprentice. When her grandfather suddenly takes off, she reluctantly sets off with her mother and the apprentice to find him. Join them on their adventures in Europe.

Just because Miss Clara Marie Stanton’s grandfather mutters to himself and has a flock of mechanical butterflies hovering around his head, it by no means indicates insanity. And if her mother wears a live ermine around her neck, eats vegetarian, and rescues every downtrodden animal she encounters, it doesn’t mean she suffers from hereditary insanity. But all of London buys into Clara’s ex-fiancé’s lies about her family.

Mr. Rupert Forrester wants to force Clara to marry him to save her family from his malicious gossip and lies. If he can force her hand, he’ll save himself from his creditors before they can send him to debtor’s prison. He’ll stoop as low as necessary to get his hands on a letter proving Clara’s uncle died in an insane asylum.

The news of her uncle’s death killed Clara’s beloved grandmother, and her grandfather struggled with depression (not insanity) over their untimely deaths. And now Clara’s childhood friend (and former fiancé) has ruthlessly turned against her and her family. Her shoulders feel tired from bearing the burden of keeping everyone out of Bedlam, but she’ll do anything to save her family’s name.

When her grandfather disappears and invites her and his new apprentice on a multi-continental scavenger hunt, he inadvertently unleashes even more danger for Clara. But she can handle it on her own. She absolutely does not need the help of the utterly annoying, most likely unscrupulous, somewhat handsome apprentice her grandfather asks her to take along.

Theodore Kingsley feels lower than the salt of the earth. All his life, his father assured him of his worthlessness. While trying to carry out the one task his noble father asks of him, Theodore botches the job. He feels responsible for the deaths of hundreds of his comrades at arms. Even God doesn’t want anything to do with him now.

Theodore has spent four long years roaming the world, becoming a vagabond tinker and clock repairman. When he arrives back in London, he ends up on Mr. Drosselmeyer’s doorsteps and finds himself thrust into the strangest apprenticeship of his life.

His employer, an absentminded genius, comes along with an endearing daughter with a penchant for collecting broken animals, paying no heed to the demands of society. And Mr. Drosselmeyer’s granddaughter has more prickles than the napping hedgehog on the Stanton’s sofa. She instantly dislikes Theodore and threatens him with bodily harm if he won’t let her chase her disappearing grandfather alone.

But Mr. Drosselmeyer’s instructions explicitly state the two must travel together. A romp across Europe ensues as the unlikely trio (Mrs. Stanton comes along as chaperone) works to discover each clue and evade the villainous Mr. Forrester.

What I Loved About This Book

Angela Bell’s sprightly wordsmithing creates a delectable feast for book lovers. I couldn’t resist highlighting entire passages of wisdom as the protagonists struggle to accept themselves, their worth, and each other. While dealing with big emotions, the book never feels maudlin or preachy. Theodore (aka Mr. Arthur) struggles with PTSD and adverse childhood experiences. Clara has exchanged her dreams and ability to play with a need to control the outcomes of other’s behavior.

At first, I thought Bell relied completely on magical realism to bring the inanimate inventions of Mr. Drosselmeyer to life. But a quick look at the internet reveals the invention of automatons nearly a hundred years before the setting of A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure (1860). I love it when an author surprises me by revealing my ignorance of history. Even better, the author points readers to their own Creator—regardless of the burdens we may carry and our beliefs about ourselves.

This book is so whimsical and fun! I immensely enjoyed reading it! The steampunk Victorian vibes were expertly written, and I loved the scavenger hunt aspect to the story!

Clara and Theodore are both great characters, and I loved their character arcs. The spiritual themes were beautifully woven into the story, and I appreciated how they were written to organically be a part of the plot.

There are so many fun things about this book! I always love letters in stories, so the letters from Grand to Clara made me happy! The automatons and the animal menagerie were delightful, and the food descriptions made me hungry. The details of their trip and the locations they went to made me feel as though I were traveling with the characters!

I really enjoyed this book, and I am excited to read more books by this author in the future!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I already know that A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure will be one of my favorites of 2024! Wildly and uniquely creative, this is one of the most beautiful, intriguing, and unpredictable books I’ve read in a long time. When Clara Stanton’s clockmaker grandfather takes off across Europe in none other than a flying automaton owl, she chases down clues to find him with his one-legged apprentice, her mother, and her mother’s ever growing menagerie of misfit animals. Clara grew up “exploring” with her grandfather through travel books, and Bell invites readers to similarly “venture into the unknown like explorers of yore” through London, Prague, Amsterdam, and more. Inspired by Around the World in 80 Days and the Nutcracker, Bell’s deft pen brings deeply historical cities alive with vivid descriptions of stroopwafels, clocktowers, and cathedrals. The love story gently unfolds as Theodore and Clara both learn about the redeeming love of God and reminders to give up control to the One who loves us most. I highlighted so many beautifully written passages in this book, including “There’s no substitute for taking in the sea air whilst the sky is aglow with maiden moonlight’s silvery blush” ; “What-ifs are not acquainted with what-is, and they spread horrid falsehoods about what-will-be, so why bother entertain them? I’d sooner invite hope into my home” ; and the reminder to “release all white-knuckled illusions of being in control and revel in the freedom Jesus came to give to you. May you rest assured that Emmanuel is God, so you don’t have to be.” I loved this book so much and definitely recommend it for anyone who loves stories about adventure, family, and second chances.

*I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher and #netgalley. I was not required to provide a review and all opinions expressed above are my own.

Fun, funny, inspiring, adventurous, whimsical, reddeming. The list could go on and on! I LOVED this story so much! My all time favorite character had to be Clara's mum "Heidi Stanton" for her whimsy and fierce love of family and all animals great and small. This debut author has already written a classic in my opinion, so well done! Thank you netgally for the ARC, the opinion expressed is entirely my own.

A sweet steampunk-y tale that riffs with pieces of the classic Nutcracker story -- a "broken" prince of a man, a genius inventor named Drosselmeyer, a giant clockwork owl, a beloved young woman named Clara/Marie -- and uses them to spin a yarn of thoroughly believable adventures across different cities with carefully crafted characters and details.

This was sophisticated historical fiction, but also quite quirky and fun. I found the characters humorous, and chuckled at their behaviour, and I felt the author brought the story and characters to life very well. I think a book like this would be a good choice for a light comfort read, after reading something dark or heavy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

What fun! I loved the the entire story, strong heroes, a terrible villain, automatons, a grand adventure and an ever growing cast of stray animals that no one seemed the least bit bothered by. I hope this is just the beginning of the story for Mr. Kingsley and the Stanton family. Absolutely charming story that I'll be able to recommend to light hearted romance readers of any age.

Thank you to Bethany House Fiction for this ARC of A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell. All opinions are my own.

What an excellent debut! This book is an absolute delight with a menagerie of animals, an adventurous European scavenger hunt, and a delightful cast of characters. It’s also a faith-filled story that is heartwarming and full of character growth.

There were so many fun elements to this story. The number of different animals and all the sticky situations they found themselves in was hilarious. Mrs. Stanton, the protagonist’s mother, was so endearing, and I loved her care for all animals and for everyone she encountered. She was also super protective and full of wisdom. I really enjoyed all her interactions with Clara (the protagonist) and Arthur (the apprentice/love interest).

Both Clara and Arthur were interesting characters. I loved their interactions and how much each of them grew throughout the story. While I do think Clara was pretty mean to Arthur to start with, I did understand why she acted that way. Arthur was so patient towards her, and I found him to be so charming.

Grand (Clara’s grandfather) was so sweet and quirky. I loved how he cared for everyone and didn’t pass unfair judgments on people. The scavenger hunt he set up was so fun and interesting. He was such a brilliant inventor, and I looked forward to learning about each of his creations.

One thing I really appreciated about this story was how the author included faith naturally throughout the book. Some of the characters had such strong faith and were amazing mentors to the younger characters. I loved seeing how the characters grew in their faith throughout the story.

Overall, this book was such a great read. I highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy historical fiction stories set in 1860s Europe. It’s full of adventure, family, and a slow burn romance.

The travel bug has bitten me! This was the Victorian European tour I didn't know I needed. I loved all of the characters and the growth they experience over the course of the story. I feel like everything was so fleshed out - from the characters to the architecture it really felt like I was on this adventure with Clara, Theodore, Mrs. S, and Fred.

As much as I enjoyed the story and character arc, I did feel like the romance was more of a sub-plot and would have liked to have had a bit more of it - but honestly there was way more to the story than the romance and the author did an amazing job keeping my attention and moving the story along while also allowing readers to relax and have a pseudo-vacation through 1860s Europe. I loved the prose and the wit between the characters, all while the author creates a beautiful image of who God is throughout the story for readers.

Overall, very fun historical Christian fiction - readers who enjoy the hijinks and sass of Jen Turano's characters but with slightly less of the romance emphasis will enjoy this read!

Thank you to the author and publishers for the chance to read this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

Wow! What great imagination and creativity from this debut author! Follow as Grand(father) leads Clara, apprentice Arthur, Mum and menagerie on a European scavenger hunt. Amidst danger and misadventures, they follow the clues to many fascinating wonders and fantastic marvels. Full of whimsical happenings and quirky characters, you will be left wonder-struck too! The sweet romance brings enemies to friends and beyond. The thread of faith is strong as the two main characters learn to give up control, forget past hurts, and grow in trust of God and each other. It’s an amazing story and I loved it! I look forward to future books by Angela Bell.