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bookloverchelle's review against another edition
4.0
Delphine Dryden and her Steam and Seduction series are both new to me and even though I jumped in with book three Gilded Lily I felt she did a very good job of introducing the characters and if, how they could possibly relate to any earlier stories. My biggest issue was understanding some of the contraptions used throughout the story but this could be a combination of either dropping in on book three or the fact that I don’t read a lot of steampunk titles. Freddie may be out an available in London society but her true desire is to fix the various machines throughout London. She loves to tinker and prefers to get her hands dirty than deal with the ton. Barnabas is tasked by Freddie’s father to watch over her but he seems to help her get in to more trouble than out. As they bounce around London in both the ballrooms and dockside their relationship becomes more than originally planned. I loved how these two interacted, how they were fairly straightforward with each other and provided a very entertaining banter. Fun read, especially if you enjoy steampunk stories.
meowzik's review against another edition
3.0
I picked up a copy of this from Netgalley, and for some reason, completely missed everything that mentioned it was book three in the series. Whoops. Got to say though, it was an entertaining read (though I am predisposed to like steampunk by virtue of it being steampunk) and was readable as a standalone novel. The characters were amusing and likeable, the plot was fun and I'll definitely be picking up the first two in the series at some point. :)
witandsin's review against another edition
4.0
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-gilded-lily-by-delphine-dryden.html
Gilded Lily is my favorite Steam and Seduction book to date! Author Delphine Dryden has delivered an exciting steampunk adventure with original characters and fast-paced plots that will delight many a reader.
Freddie is a woman ahead of her time. She’s more comfortable fixing machines in trousers than dancing the night away in a gown. I loved her ingenuity and spunk, and wanted to see her find someone who could keep up with her and would appreciate Freddie for who she truly is. Barnabas is definitely that hero. He’s knocked off his stride by Freddie and is clearly out of his depth in the world of espionage, but he doesn’t let that stop him. He’s flat-out adorable (though not in a childish way) and I just loved that he was both unique and blessedly average. The growing attraction between Barnabas and Freddie charmed me and their romance was simply lovely to watch develop.
Gilded Lily also features my favorite Steam and Seduction villain so far. Newly risen drug lord Rollo Furneval was a fully developed character in his own right and I found him as interesting as Freddie and Barnabas. The interweaving of the opium smuggling, Atlantis Station, cuttlefish, and the missing Smith-Grenville brother plotlines made the pages of Gilded Lily fly by. Add in Ms. Dryden’s delightful inventions and it’s clear to see why I thoroughly enjoyed this third Steam and Seduction outing. Gilded Lily is pure fun from beginning to end and I hope Ms. Dryden has a story in store for Phineas Smith-Grenville!
Note: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Gilded Lily is my favorite Steam and Seduction book to date! Author Delphine Dryden has delivered an exciting steampunk adventure with original characters and fast-paced plots that will delight many a reader.
Freddie is a woman ahead of her time. She’s more comfortable fixing machines in trousers than dancing the night away in a gown. I loved her ingenuity and spunk, and wanted to see her find someone who could keep up with her and would appreciate Freddie for who she truly is. Barnabas is definitely that hero. He’s knocked off his stride by Freddie and is clearly out of his depth in the world of espionage, but he doesn’t let that stop him. He’s flat-out adorable (though not in a childish way) and I just loved that he was both unique and blessedly average. The growing attraction between Barnabas and Freddie charmed me and their romance was simply lovely to watch develop.
Gilded Lily also features my favorite Steam and Seduction villain so far. Newly risen drug lord Rollo Furneval was a fully developed character in his own right and I found him as interesting as Freddie and Barnabas. The interweaving of the opium smuggling, Atlantis Station, cuttlefish, and the missing Smith-Grenville brother plotlines made the pages of Gilded Lily fly by. Add in Ms. Dryden’s delightful inventions and it’s clear to see why I thoroughly enjoyed this third Steam and Seduction outing. Gilded Lily is pure fun from beginning to end and I hope Ms. Dryden has a story in store for Phineas Smith-Grenville!
Note: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
schomj's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Sweet romance and lots of cephalopods.
Really enjoyed most of it and felt like the series is really hitting its stride with this book. Found the end a smidge disappointing though because of how a potential love triangle was resolved.
The below quote I think pretty well demonstrates what I enjoyed about Freddie and Barnabas's relationship...
Sweet romance and lots of cephalopods.
Really enjoyed most of it and felt like the series is really hitting its stride with this book. Found the end a smidge disappointing though because of how a potential love triangle was resolved.
Spoiler
poor Dan, he deserved better than to be killed off for plot convenienceThe below quote I think pretty well demonstrates what I enjoyed about Freddie and Barnabas's relationship...
[X], with his brooding eyes and stony muscles, looked like a treacherous rock that a woman would crash her ship into. She didn't want to crash. Barnabas, hapless and eager, had a sunny lighthouse smile for her at the strangest times, and it always made her feel she knew what to expect from him. ... Freddie hadn't been aware of a need in herself to be led or steered, or to rely on anybody for their smiles. But she must have those needs, because clearly Barnabas met them and she felt the better for it.
prgchrqltma's review against another edition
3.0
Characters: headstrong crossdressing tinker, nondescript baby spy
World Building: underwater facilities, giant cephalopods
Plot: Bring down villain, find lost brother, communicate with squid
Sex: medium
Normally, I adore Dryden's work, but this one didn't grab me.
World Building: underwater facilities, giant cephalopods
Plot: Bring down villain, find lost brother, communicate with squid
Sex: medium
Normally, I adore Dryden's work, but this one didn't grab me.
rachelm31f6b's review
2.0
It took me a while to accept the main characters as a couple. As they spent more time together they became more infatuated with each other and fell more into a relationship. Another bad guy to foil and family members to work around.
Also why is there not another book after this one? I feel like we were left hanging with them all going off the the Dominion. I mean...what happened with Finn and Sophie? Don't tell me she didn't leave it open for that. It's not my favorite or the best story I've read but I wouldn't mind finding out what happens next.
Also why is there not another book after this one? I feel like we were left hanging with them all going off the the Dominion. I mean...what happened with Finn and Sophie? Don't tell me she didn't leave it open for that. It's not my favorite or the best story I've read but I wouldn't mind finding out what happens next.
bookadventurer's review
3.0
Gilded Lily is an entertaining, sweet steampunk romance (definitely more steampunk than romance). The third installment of the Steam and Seduction Series, it works very well as a stand-alone novel, with only one or two obvious references to previous plots and romances.
Fred (Freddie) Merchant is really Frederique Murcheson, a young lady of quality in steampunk London who prefers to spend her time in trousers, fixing mechanical tools and appliances. Her father, in his attempts to keep her safe and out of scandal, has assigned Lord Smith-Grenville as her latest minder. In short order, the secrets of each are exposed to the other, and they begin a partnership based on mutual extortion.
Barnabas Smith-Grenville is searching for his younger brother, Phineas, reported last seen in an opium den. While he is prepared to find his brother dead or an opium addict, he refuses to believe it could be true. To find out what's happened to Phineas, Barnabas applies for a job with Freddie's father, who used to employ Phineas. When he and Freddie sort out their mutual supposedly hidden agendas, they decide to work together to investigate Phineas' disappearance and Murcheson's clandestine doings. In the usual manner of stories about amateur sleuths, they stumble upon deeper secrets and conspiracies than they have prepared for, and are soon dealing with an opium smuggler, earthquakes, underwater science stations, and deadly squid-like creatures.
Gilded Lily is a light, fluffy, funny steampunk romance that checks all the usual boxes. The interactions between the characters were for the most part convincing and the characters themselves were fun to follow. Uniquely, the hero of the novel, Barnabas, is not really the hero type at all. While he is determined to find his brother, the consummate spy, he is terrible at hiding his thoughts and feelings, cautious about going into dangerous situations, and anxious about just about everything. He's stuck on propriety, but open-minded enough to support Freddie's lifestyle choices. I enjoyed his nagging, worrying, and uncertainties as a refreshing change from the Hero trope. Phineas, his brother, is more suited to be the hero of the tale, but he remains a secondary character throughout (I'm pretty convinced that he will be the protagonist in a sequel).
The other stand-out feature from most steampunk novels I've read so far is the focus on submersibles, instead of airships. There are airships, and they support the action in this story, but the majority of the action takes place in or around submersibles. While earthquakes in the Channel kept throwing me off stride (the British Isles not being a place one often hears about earthquakes causing damage), I did enjoy reading about alternative underwater technology, as opposed to the more common alternative air travel technology.
Without being very original or complex, this novel still succeeds in being exciting, fun, and just slightly ridiculous (in a good way). I thoroughly enjoyed it, and recommend it to fans of the steampunk genres.
As always, check out my post on The Book Adventures (out on Monday, July 14, 2014) for Read-Alikes.
Fred (Freddie) Merchant is really Frederique Murcheson, a young lady of quality in steampunk London who prefers to spend her time in trousers, fixing mechanical tools and appliances. Her father, in his attempts to keep her safe and out of scandal, has assigned Lord Smith-Grenville as her latest minder. In short order, the secrets of each are exposed to the other, and they begin a partnership based on mutual extortion.
Barnabas Smith-Grenville is searching for his younger brother, Phineas, reported last seen in an opium den. While he is prepared to find his brother dead or an opium addict, he refuses to believe it could be true. To find out what's happened to Phineas, Barnabas applies for a job with Freddie's father, who used to employ Phineas. When he and Freddie sort out their mutual supposedly hidden agendas, they decide to work together to investigate Phineas' disappearance and Murcheson's clandestine doings. In the usual manner of stories about amateur sleuths, they stumble upon deeper secrets and conspiracies than they have prepared for, and are soon dealing with an opium smuggler, earthquakes, underwater science stations, and deadly squid-like creatures.
Gilded Lily is a light, fluffy, funny steampunk romance that checks all the usual boxes. The interactions between the characters were for the most part convincing and the characters themselves were fun to follow. Uniquely, the hero of the novel, Barnabas, is not really the hero type at all. While he is determined to find his brother, the consummate spy, he is terrible at hiding his thoughts and feelings, cautious about going into dangerous situations, and anxious about just about everything. He's stuck on propriety, but open-minded enough to support Freddie's lifestyle choices. I enjoyed his nagging, worrying, and uncertainties as a refreshing change from the Hero trope. Phineas, his brother, is more suited to be the hero of the tale, but he remains a secondary character throughout (I'm pretty convinced that he will be the protagonist in a sequel).
The other stand-out feature from most steampunk novels I've read so far is the focus on submersibles, instead of airships. There are airships, and they support the action in this story, but the majority of the action takes place in or around submersibles. While earthquakes in the Channel kept throwing me off stride (the British Isles not being a place one often hears about earthquakes causing damage), I did enjoy reading about alternative underwater technology, as opposed to the more common alternative air travel technology.
Without being very original or complex, this novel still succeeds in being exciting, fun, and just slightly ridiculous (in a good way). I thoroughly enjoyed it, and recommend it to fans of the steampunk genres.
As always, check out my post on The Book Adventures (out on Monday, July 14, 2014) for Read-Alikes.
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