Heart of Iron (London Steampunk)
Obtaining a thrall contract is every debutante’s dream. Except for Lena Todd. She doesn’t want to become part of the Echelon’s world of blood taxes and blood thralls; she wants to bring their world to its knees. So when the chance to join the Humanist cause presents itself to her, Lena doesn’t hesitate a second. As a debutante moving through blue-blooded Echelon society, Lena is perfectly situated to spy on London’s ruling class, and the secrets she discovers may help “Mercury,” the mysterious leader of the Humanists, destroy the Echelon once and for all. There are only two people who can keep Lena from successfully completing her mission: Alaric Colchester, the coldly calculating blue-blooded Duke of Lannister, and Will Carver, the tall, dark, and dangerous werewulfen, who has sworn to protect Lena at any cost. McMaster successfully continues the complex world building she began in Kiss of Steel (2012) in the second addition to her deliciously atmospheric, completely enthralling series, a sexy literary merger of Bram Stoker, Jules Verne, and Jane Austen. --John Charles