The Bachelor and the Bride Review
They married to save her life—will danger bring them together or tear them apart?
Summary
Dr. Barnabus Milligan has always felt called to help people, whether that means setting a broken bone or rescuing the impoverished women of London from their desperate lives on the streets as part of his work with the Dread Penny Society.
Three years ago, he helped rescue Gemma Kincaid by secretly marrying her to protect her from her family of notorious grave robbers.
But six months after Gemma and Barnabus exchanged vows, she realized her love for her new husband was unrequited. To protect her heart, she left, telling Barnabus to contact her if his feelings for her ever grew beyond a sense of duty.
When Barnabus sends a letter to Gemma inviting her to return home, she hopes to find a true connection between them. But unfortunately, he only wants her help to foil the Kincaids, who have been terrorizing the boroughs of London, eager to gain both money and power.
Heartbroken, Gemma agrees to help, but she warns Barnabus that she will not stay for long, and once she goes, he'll never see her again.
Yet as the couple follows the clues that seem to connect the Kincaids to the Mastiff, the leader of London's criminal network, Gemma and Barnabus realize they might make a better match than either of them suspected. Perhaps the marriage that had once saved Gemma's life might now save Barnabus—and his lonely heart.
But before the once-confirmed bachelor can properly court his secret bride, they'll need to evade the dangerous forces that are drawing ever closer to the hopeful lovers and the entire Dread Penny Society itself.
Evaluation
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
I don’t even know if I can find the words to describe how I feel about this book—but I’ll try! The twists, the turns, the revelations… I was absolutely floored. I never saw them coming, but once they hit, everything just clicked. It was brilliant. Sarah M. Eden has once again delivered a masterful story, and this one might be my favorite yet.
If you love overarching mysteries that slowly unravel across a series, with a good dose of thriller and that shadowy, dark Victorian aesthetic—I cannot recommend this book enough. The atmosphere is so rich, the stakes are high, and the characters? Perfection.
Barnabus and Gemma’s story tugged at all the right heartstrings. A secret marriage! A marriage of convenience! So much longing and unresolved emotion that finally—finally—starts to crack open into something tender and real. I felt for both of them so deeply. Gemma is strong and determined, and Barnabus… well, he may be brilliant, but emotional awareness is not exactly his strong suit. Watching them fumble and find their way back to each other was heartwarming and heart-wrenching.
This book blends danger, romance, and emotional growth so seamlessly. Sarah truly is a phenomenal writer. Her ability to weave together character depth, plot complexity, and swoon-worthy moments is unmatched. If I could read this one again for the first time, I would. It's that good.
