Saturday, October 19, 2019

Book Shelf: Mission: Improper (London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy #1) by Bec McMaster

Three years ago, London society changed forever, with a revolution placing the widowed Queen firmly on the throne her blue blood husband tried to take from her. Humans, verwulfen and mechs are no longer considered the lesser classes, but not everybody is happy with the new order…
 
Entire families have gone missing in the East End. When Caleb Byrnes receives an invitation to join the Company of Rogues as an undercover agent pledged to protect the crown, he jumps at the chance to find out who, or what, is behind the disappearances. Hunting criminals is what the darkly driven blue blood does best, and though he prefers to work alone, the opportunity is too good to resist.

The problem? He’s partnered with Ingrid Miller, the fiery and passionate verwulfen woman who won a private bet against him a year ago. Byrnes has a score to settle, but one stolen kiss and suddenly the killer is not the only thing Byrnes is interested in hunting.

Soon they’re chasing whispered rumours of a secret project gone wrong, and a monster that just might be more dangerous than either of them combined. The only way to find out more is to go undercover among the blue blood elite… But when their hunt uncovers a mysterious conspiracy, Byrnes and Ingrid must set aside their age-old rivalry if they have any chance at surviving a treacherous plot.


More info on Goodreads....


Review: 

Mission: Improper is the first instalment in Bec McMaster’s London Steampunk spin off series, London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy and is the continued exploration of her already wonderful steampunk world with new—and old—characters, new romances and new dangers.

Three years ago London society changed forever when a revolution brought down the prince consort and put the Queen on the throne. Many changes have occurred in the years since. Humans, mechs and verwulfen are no longer considered lessor than their blue blood counterparts and a time of peace has raged. Yet not everyone is pleased with the new order and when a series of disappearances occur an elite group of individuals are put together to discover the culprit, including Nighthawk Caleb Byrnes, a darkly driven investigator who prefers to work alone. To his dismay, Byrnes is partnered with Ingrid Miller a verwulfen who won a bet against him a year ago and who he hasn’t stopped thinking about since. Determined to settle the score, Byrnes sets about winning Ingrid’s set challenges but as stolen kisses burn, it soon becomes clear the thing Byrnes wants to win isn’t Ingrid in his bed...it’s her heart.

After I devoured the London Steampunk series I was stoked to discover I could jump straight into this spin-off. Of Silk and Steam ended so well but there were still so many characters I wanted to know more about and I’m super excited that Bec McMaster will explore them in this series.

Both Byrnes and Ingrid are two individuals we saw throughout the previous series and it was fantastic to see them front and center in Mission: Improper. Byrnes has always managed to get under everyone’s skin so well but this controlled and calculating Nighthawk has always been someone I wanted to know more about, while Ingrid has intrigued me since we met her and Rosa and Lynch’s story.

McMaster wonderfully explores the relationship and romance between Byrnes and Ingrid in this novel. Both are such strong individuals that it was somewhat surprising to see them so afraid to explore the connection between them. Fantastic chemistry and hilarious banter made for highly entertaining reading as they eventually acknowledged the depth of their feelings.

One of the things I love about Bec McMaster’s novels is that there are real story’s within books. There’s genuinely a mystery to solve or a killer to catch that the romance, sex and characterisation only enhance the storyline. McMaster litters her novels with funny, endearing and larger than life personalities that compliment her storylines. Intricate and addictive, I’m invested in the lives and happiness of all those McMaster introduces us to. Ava, Kincaid, Gemma, Charlie, Malloryn—-I want to read about them all and am excited to have that chance.

Fun, passionate and explosive, Mission Improper is a great start to this new world of London Steampunk I am excited to learn about. I have no doubt Bec McMaster has much in store as she offers readers new branches and aspects to her steampunk world. I can’t wait to begin Ava and Kincaid’s tale next and then all the ones that follow!

Rating:
Source: Purchased by me via Amazon
Publisher: Lochaber Press
Format: Kindle ebook
Release Date: August 16th 2016
Buy: The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Final Thoughts: Another brilliant novel from Bec McMaster---I'm ready to read more!


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