Review: Pretty good starter stories for Steampunk Romance newbies...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 16, 2013
As a pretty avid reader of steampunk romances I was very excited to see what this anthology from Entangled Publishing's Ever After imprint had to offer. Having previously read both Havens and Eimer I was pretty sure I would love it. Each story has a pretty unique premise and blends both steampunk elements and a romance well.[DEMON EXPRESS by Candace Havens], was definitely not my favorite of the bunch. I just couldn't quite feel this mesh of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, steampunk-ish (I admit the tech didn't quite feel truly steampunk), Frankenstein, and wild west coming together. It had a very choppy feel and I didn't care for either the hero or heroine. There's definite potential but I think this could have fleshed better in a longer format where there was more time to understand the villain's origins. Not horrid, but one of those short stories that just falls short of its potential. (3 stars)[THE CLOCKWORK BRIDE by Patricia Eimer], an Irish engineer and a wealthy earl from opposing families join forces in a marriage of convenience. Great premise! It's a little sexy, kinda funny, and plenty adventurous. This is the first story I've read from Eimer outside of her LUCK OF THE DEVIL series and while not as hysterically funny it's a great stretch of her talent as a writer. I really enjoyed Aida and Julian's banter but especially seeing their marriage of convenience go from friendly admiration to something more. If you love this classic trope and want to try steampunk this is a great one to start with! (4 stars)[BEAUTY AND THE CLOCKWORK BEAST by Lily Lang], I had never heard of Lang before picking this anthology up and her offering was my favorite of the collection. A wounded hero and a heroine desperate to grant her father's last wish. They make for a dashing pair and my inner nerd just loved the science-y stuff. This is a great example of steampunk romance, one of the best short stories I've seen in the genre in regard to making the two mesh flawlessly. Tinkering and automatons, tea and kisses... yep, this one hit all my favorite parts of the genre nicely. One I also highly recommend for those who are new to the genre but even more so for those who already love it. (5 stars)On the whole, it's a nice starting place for readers looking for a taste of romance in their steampunk or vice versa. I would love to see Entangled Ever Afters put out another anthology of this sort!Notes: Review copy received via publisher.