When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?
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Eh, I expected to like this more. The reviews were good, the premise was interesting, but all in all I think I'd have to say it moved a bit slow for me. Maybe as much as I love the fashion I'm not much of a Steampunk girl after all?
What I did like about this book was the slow(er) progression of the relationship between Tish and Criminy. It would have been a bit weird to me if they'd immediately fallen into their HEA because she hadn't been totally unhappy with the world she left behind. She'd gotten out of her abusive relationship and was rebuilding her connection to herself and her grandmother - maybe not ideal, but things could have been worse. Criminy might have known that he and Tish were meant to be together because she found his necklace, but Tish had to have the time to allow her feelings to blossom. Corny sure, but needed as she was also expected to get used to a completely different world at the same time.
I may give the next book a go, we'll see. It might be a library (if possible) read for me.
Overall Feeling - B
Series - 1) Wicked as They Come
