Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen

Synopsis:

When Lucy Pickett arrives at Blackwell Manor to tend to her ailing cousin, Kate, she finds more than she bargained for. A restless ghost roams the hallways, werewolves have been reported in the area, and vampires lurk across the Scottish border.

Lord Miles himself is clearly hiding a secret. He is brash and inhospitable and does not take kindly to visitors—even one as smart and attractive as Miss Pickett. He is unsettled by the mysterious deaths of his new wife, Clara, and his sister, Marie. Could Miles himself be to blame for the deaths?

Working together, Miles and Lucy attempt to restore peace to Blackwell Manor. But can Lucy solve the mystery of Miles? Can she love the man—beast and all?

My Review: 5 Stars

Confession. I have read this book at least once a year for the last 4 years. To say it's one of my favorites would be an understatement. While reading it this time around, a memory from the first time I read it came to mind and I just had to share it. 

Picture this. It's almost midnight, my room is pitch black, minus the light from my kindle, my apartment is completely silent, and I'm fully engrossed in the story. I come to an extremely intense part of the book and I'm on the edge of my seat unsure of what's going to happen next. Just as something slams into a wall in the book, something slams into my wall in my bedroom! 😱 I screamed and jumped sky high. I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. To say I was a little freaked out would be an understatement. It took me awhile to calm down and stop shaking. And I may or may not have slept with my light on that night. 🤪 I can laugh at it now but y'all! I was freaked out! 😂

Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite fairytale. There's just something about it that has this girl letting out all kinds of little dreamy sighs. And this book had me doing just that. 

Lucy and Miles are seriously the best! Both of them can be pretty dang stubborn but they love fiercely and will do anything to protect the ones they love most. I loved watching these two navigate through their rough beginning, learn to trust and open up to each other, all while falling in love. They make the perfect team and I absolutely adore them!

This was my first introduction into the world of steampunk and I loved it! Sadly, I haven't found any other books that can hold a candle to the Steampunk Proper Romance series. But that doesn't stop me from continuing to try. 😉

Not only was this my first steampunk romance, but my first book by Nancy Campbell Allen. She did an amazing job of sucking me in to her world and making me forget reality. And y'all know how much I love it when that happens! 

And of course I can't forget my casting! What do you think?

The Lady in the Coppergate Tower by Nancy Campbell Allen

Synopsis:

Hazel Hughes has spent her life believing she is a Medium—someone who can talk to ghosts. But as of yet, that skill has remained frustratingly elusive. She is also suffering from a reoccurring childhood dream of someone who looks almost exactly like Hazel, but this dream version of herself is slowly going mad.

Sam MacInnes is a talented surgeon who runs in the highest social circles thanks to his family’s position and history. When Sam hires Hazel to assist him with his medical practice, he is immediately drawn to her intelligence, wit, and beauty.

Their potential relationship is derailed one evening when a mysterious count arrives in London and reveals to Hazel the truth about her past: she was abducted at birth and her twin sister has fallen dangerously ill.

Hazel agrees to travel to Romania with Count Petrescu in order to save her sister, and Sam insists on accompanying her. The count has secrets, though, and the journey grows more sinister with every mile that draws Hazel closer to her homeland. Even as her feelings for Sam become deeper and more complicated, she fears she might not survive the quest to save her sister with her heart intact, not to mention her life. She must learn to draw on gifts she doesn’t know she has if they are going to ever return home again.

Hazel and Sam must fight their way past dark magic, clockwork beasts, and their own insecurities as they try to reach her sister in the impenetrable Coppergate Tower before time runs out.

My Review: 5 Stars

It's official! I'm a lover of Nancy Campbell Allen's steampunk romances! What do I love about them? I love that they're different than everything else that's flooding the market these days. I love that they're fairy tale retellings with her own unique twist thrown in. I love that she has me guessing until the very end about what will happen. I love knowing that once I start the book, I will be whisked away to a magical place that will hold me hostage until the very end. If you haven't guessed yet.. I love this series! 

I have been curious about Hazel and Sam since first meeting them in Beauty and the Clockwork Beast. There was just something about these two that called to me. Hazel and Sam were perfectly matched. She was the yin to his yang. Working together, they could anything and overcome whatever was thrown their way. I quickly fell in love with these two and found myself rooting for them from the very beginning. 

You guys! I'm not going to lie... I couldn't devour their story fast enough! Once I started this book, I could not put it down! It was intense, mysterious, swoony, and all around amazing! When I got to the end, I found myself going back to the beginning to read it all over again. I love when a book grabs me like that! It's the sign of a fabulous author! I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series! 

And can we take a minute to admire these two?! I absolutely love them as Hazel and Sam! What do you think?

*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.*

Swoon Worthy Spotlights #19

Welcome to Swoon Worthy Spotlights hosted by KJ's Book Nook, Katie's Clean Book Collection and Bookworm Nation! Once a month we will feature 1-3 of our favorite books that we have read during the month. We will share the cover(s), our review(s) and a link to each other's post so you can check out which books we have all chosen!

For this month's Swoon Worthy Spotlights I am going to choose...

Kiss of the Spindle by Nancy Campbell Allen

#Moonstruck by Sariah Wilson

Under Fire by Rebecca Deel

Catch Him If You Can by Jennifer Shirk

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

And don't for get to check Katie's post here and Kathy's post here!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Do you have a blog and want to join us for Swoon Worthy Spotlights? Then grab the picture and post with us! We will be posting on the last day of each month. Make sure you share your link with us so we can check out your favorite authors as well!

Happy reading my fellow bookworms!

Kiss of the Spindle by Nancy Campbell Allen

Synopsis:

Doctor Isla Cooper is cursed. Literally. Each night, at the stroke of midnight she falls into a death-like sleep from which she cannot be awakened for six hours. To make it worse, the curse has an expiration date--after a year, it becomes permanent. And the year is almost up.

In a desperate attempt to find Malette--the witch who cursed her--Isla blackmails her way onto Daniel Pickett's private airship bound for the Caribbean, only to discover she's traveling with three illegal shapeshifters and the despicable Nigel Crowe, a government official determined to hunt down and exterminate every shapeshifter in England. Isla and Daniel must work together to keep the identities of the shapeshifters hidden while coming to terms with their own hidden secrets, and their blossoming attraction to each other.

Filled with suspense, intrigue, and plenty of romance, Kiss of the Spindle is steampunk Sleeping Beauty story. It is a race against the clock as Isla and Daniel try to hunt down the elusive Malette before Isla's death-like sleep becomes permanent.

My Review: 5 Stars

Dr. Isla Cooper was cursed nearly a year ago and time is running out for her to find the Dark Magick witch, Malette, and get her to reverse the curse. She'll do anything and everything in her power to secure passage to Port Lucy... even resort to blackmail. But will Daniel Pickett see through her threats and refuse her passage? She'll have to be very convincing because she MUST be on the flight no matter what. 

Daniel Pickett already has enough on his plate and doesn't need the added stress of Isla Cooper forcing her way onto his personal airship. It's bad enough that he's going to have to travel without the proper accommodations for the three illegal shifters on board so close to the full moon phase. And if that wasn't enough, Nigel Crowe, a member of the Predatory Shifter Regulations Committee and a thorn in everyone's side, has decided that he, too, will board the airship bound for Port Lucy. Heaven help him. 

To say that Isla and Daniel got off on the wrong foot is an understatement. The man is maddening. How dare he take all her weapons and leave her unprotected? But did she really give him a choice in the matter? She DID blackmail him after all. But they will need to get over it with Crowe now part of their travelling party. They must work together to protect Lewis, Quince and Bonadea from Crowe. 

When circumstances arise that would prevent Isla from helping the shifters, who quickly became her friends, she is forced to tell Daniel about the curse and the real reason why she is headed to Port Lucy. Isla has never had anyone to look after her or protect her. She has always had to go at it alone. She's beyond shocked when Daniel offers his help with her situation. Along the way, Isla and Daniel develop a friendship which soon turns into deep feelings for each other. Isla just hopes she has enough time to see where their relationship will go. 

With the expiration date of the curse looming over them, Isla and Daniel, with the help of their shifter friends, will need to work together and quickly to find Malette. But there's something else they haven't dealt with... or rather someone else. Crowe. How are they ever going to keep all of this from him? They will all need to stay alert, focused and work together. Leaving Port Lucy without breaking Isla's curse is just not an option. If anyone deserves a HEA it's these two. And Isla and Daniel have too much to lose to not go down without a fight. 

Wow! That is all I can say! I absolutely adored this book! The twists and turns, the swoony moments, the laughing out loud, the suspense, and did I mention the swoony moments? SO good! Once I picked up this book, I could NOT put it down! I devoured it in one day! I highly recommend this book to everyone! I am loving this series! I can't wait for the next book to be released! 

I have only read 2 books by this author and can see myself checking out more books by her!

And of course I can't forget my casting! I absolutely adore these two! What do you think?

Content: Mild violence. Clean romance... just swoony kisses! 

*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.*

Swoon Worthy Spotlights #10

Welcome to Swoon Worthy Spotlights hosted by Bookworm Nation, Katie's Clean Book Collection and KJ's Book Nook! Once a month we will feature 1-3 of our favorite books that we have read during the month. We will share the cover(s), our review(s) and a link to each other's post so you can check out which books we have all chosen!

I had such a hard time trying to pick my favorites! I read so many this month that I absolutely LOVED! Be warned... I have more than 3 choices... ;) Hehe.

For this month's Swoon Worthy Spotlights I am going to choose...

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen

Just Maybe by Crystal Walton

Mergers & Acquisitions by Jennifer Griffith

Honeymoon for One in Christmas Falls by Jennifer Peel

Forever Yours in Christmas Falls by Susan Hatler

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

And don't for get to check Kathy's post here and Katie's post here!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Do you have a blog and want to join us for Swoon Worthy Spotlights? Then grab the picture and post with us! We will be posting on the last day of each month. Make sure you share your link with us so we can check out your favorite authors as well!

Happy reading my fellow bookworms!