Thursday, September 9, 2021

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: The Lady and the Highwayman (The Dread Penny Society #1) by Sarah M. Eden

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring The Lady and the Highwayman (The Dread Penny Society #1) by Sarah M. Eden.

About the Book
Elizabeth Black is the headmistress of a girls’ school in 1830s Victorian London. She is also a well-respected author of ”silver-fork” novels, stories written both for and about the upper-class ladies of Victorian society. But by night, she writes very different kinds of stories--the Penny Dreadfuls that are all the rage among the working-class men. Under the pseudonym Charles King, Elizabeth has written about dashing heroes fighting supernatural threats, intelligent detectives solving grisly murders, and dangerous outlaws romancing helpless women. They contain all the adventure and mystery that her real life lacks.

Fletcher Walker began life as a street urchin, but is now the most successful author in the Penny Dreadful market, that is until Charles King started taking all of his readers. No one knows who King is, including Fletcher’s fellow members of the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the social and political causes of their working-class readers. The group knows King could be an asset with his obvious monetary success, or he could be the group’s undoing as King’s readership continues to cut into their profits.

Determined to find the elusive Mr. King, Fletcher approaches Miss Black. As a fellow-author, she is well-known among the high-class writers; perhaps she could be persuaded to make some inquiries as to Mr. King’s whereabouts? Elizabeth agrees to help Fletcher, if only to insure her secret identity is never discovered. What neither author anticipated was the instant attraction, even though their social positions dictate the impossibility of a relationship.

For the first time Elizabeth experiences the thrill of a cat-and-mouse adventure reminiscent of one of her own novels as she tries to throw Fletcher off her scent. But the more time they spend together, the more she loses her heart. Its upper-class against working-class, author against author where readers, reputations, and romance are all on the line.

Book Beginnings
London 1865
Rumor had it, Fletcher Walker wasn't born but had simply appeared one day, swaggering down the streets of London.

Friday 56
"We are going to go boating?" She couldn't quite hide her excitement. "You don't think that will be viewed as inappropriate, do you?"

What have you been reading lately?

30 comments:

  1. This time period always reminds me of Dickens. I hope you like your book. My quotes from The Night Watchman

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    1. Thank you! It's a fun time period to read about. :)

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  2. Now I want to go boating! And I have to laugh at the opening. I can picture being so much larger than life they appear that way.

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    1. Right? I had to laugh at that too. It describes him to a T, lol. :)

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  3. I like the cover. Here is mine: https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542000112l/42757881._SY475_.jpg

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  4. Ooh I love the sound of this! Secret identities, kind of enemies to maybe lovers, social commentary, and of course solid Victorian backdrop! I'm going to look this one up ASAP. I hope you have a lovely weekend :)
    Juli @ A Universe in Words

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  5. This sounds absolutely brilliant! Definitely adding it to my TBR. This week's Friday post has really been quite bad for my TBR pile..... And I worked so hard sorting it out....

    Have a good weekend!

    Elza Reads

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    1. LOL! I feel the same way! I'm always adding books to my TBR after visiting everyone's blogs. :)

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  6. It has been a long time since I read a book from this time period, but now I'm intrigued. Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “THE DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOR”

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  7. Love the cover of this one!

    Here is my link:
    https://twogirlsandtheirbookishlife.blogspot.com/2021/09/book-beginnings-summer-sons-by-lee.html

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  8. LOVE that opening line!! Happy weekend!

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  9. Looks like a great time Period book. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. That sounds really interesting, I hope you enjoy it :)

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    1. Thank you! I hope you enjoy your current read too! :)

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  11. This one was so much fun once I got into it. I loved the chapters of the main plot alternating with the Penny Dreadfuls!

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    1. I did too! I loved that it was essentially three books in one. So much fun! :)

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  12. This one's been on my TBR list since it came out two years ago! I really need to reorganize my list...or start reading faster! ;D

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    1. LOL! I'm with you there. My TBR list is out of control. If only I could read faster! :)

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    1. Me too. It really made me so curious to know more about Fletcher. :)

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  14. I might have to try this. Thanks for the introduction!

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