Book Shelf: Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club (Lady Helen #1) by Alison Goodman

London, April 1812. Lady Helen Wrexhall is set to make her debut at the court of Queen Charlotte and officially step into polite Regency society and the marriage mart. Little does Helen know that step will take her from the opulent drawing rooms of Mayfair and the bright lights of Vauxhall Gardens into a shadowy world of missing housemaids and demonic conspiracies.

Standing between those two worlds is Lord Carlston, a man of ruined reputation and brusque manners. He believes Helen has a destiny beyond the ballroom; a sacred and secret duty. Helen is not so sure, especially when she discovers that nothing around her is quite as it seems, including the enigmatic Lord Carlston.

Against a backdrop of whispered secrets in St James's Palace, soirees with Lord Byron and morning calls from Beau Brummell, Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club is a delightfully dangerous adventure of self-discovery and dark choices that must be made ... whatever the consequences.

More info on Goodreads......


Review:

Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club by Allison Goodman is a deeply enjoyable Regency romance let in a lush 1800's world that is vividly depicted and features fantasy, danger and thrilling chemistry!

Raised by her Aunt and Uncle after the tragic death of her parents, Lady Helen Wrexhall is set to make her debut into society and into the race to find a husband. Yet in the midst of gallant outings and opulent balls, the disappearance of one of Helen's housemaids begins a journey Helen could never have expected. There is a secret hiding within England, a secret that includes powerful demonic creatures whose threat to society is thwarted by a tight band of individuals whose influence is vast and whose purpose is to protect society and keep the peace between the two worlds. Led by the mysterious Lord Carlston whose scandalous past still remains a focus of gossip between the Lords and Ladies of Mayfair, Lady Helen is about to discover abilities she never knew she possessed and a duty she isn't sure she wants. But with lives on the line and murders abundant, Helen must either choose to accept her destiny or run from the power that flows through her veins......

Despite beginning slow, Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club was an incredibly exciting and adventurous story. Allison Goodman wonderfully depicts Regency life in the early 1800's and introduces an alluring underground world with the Dark Days Club. Set in the middle of high society, Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club weaves danger and fantasy with old world charm, luxury and wealth. Extravagant balls and relaxed visits make up a portion of Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club as Helen navigates society whilst investigating the disappearance of one of her maids and trying to discover the truth behind her mothers past--a past that will impact on Helen's future.

Our leading lady and protagonist Lady Helen was someone I very much liked. Strong of character and tenacity, Lady Helen was a shining light in this (rightly so) uptight world and someone who took chances. Despite wanting to lead a normal life, Helen questions things and makes considerations in Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club. Helen learns a lot in this book, both about herself and the world around her; a world very few people are aware exists underneath the surface. I honestly look forward to continuing to follow Helen in the rest of the series--I can only imagine where Allison Goodman plans to take her!

Lush and vivid, Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club features a lot of personable characters, including a potential love interest for Helen. Lord Carlston is an enigma I'm delightfully looking forward to uncovering. Goodman writes him as a mystery wrapped in secrets in Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club and has me highly intrigued by his history. Charming and elegant, Lord Carlston is a knight-in-shining armor whose past taints him and leaves him an outcast in society. Personally I thought he was absolutely fabulous and very much the sexy English gent.

I'm hopeful for some romance between Lord Carlston and Lady Helen even as Allison Goodman writes their chemistry as a delicious undertone to the rest of the story. Lord Carlston isn't Helens only possible love interest as there is another vying for her affection, but with the chemistry they share oh so delicious, I for one am entirely hopeful Goodman may develop their relationship into the burning romance it has all the potential to be.

Incredibly written and detailed, Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club races to an exciting ending and leaves me desperate for the next book to be released so that I may once again join Helen on her adventure and learn more about the Dark Days Club. Perfect for historical fans who love their tales wrapped in fantasy, I highly recommend Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club as it has absolutely everything you could possibly want!

Rating:
Source: I purchased from Bookworld.
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: This book is a must read for fans historical romance with paranormal woven in!
Cover: I actually really love our Aussie cover! I think it's beautiful.
Will I read sequel/continue with series: YES! Oh my goodness I'm so excited for the sequel!