Review: Here There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook (The Iron Seas short)

Title: Burning Up Anthology

Title: Here There Be Monsters

Series: The Iron Seas short #0.5

Author: Meljean Brook

Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating: 5/5

Rhys Trahaern, ‘The Iron Duke’, took out the tower that the Horde used to control the nanoagents infecting Londoners and freeing Britain from their rule. Now, seven years later, Ivy is able to live freely without her emotions or actions’ being controlled but still fears the Hordes return. While lying in her bed at the small boarding house she is suddenly frozen and unknown hands skim her body. When she is finally free she discovers that many on the beds surrounding her have been taken. Her worst fear has come to life, the Horde has returned and she rushes to escape London.
Mad Machen instantly falls for Ivy while she assists The Blacksmith in putting a leg of mechanical flesh on his friend and quartermaster, Barker. When she shows up at his inn in the middle of the night requesting passage on his ship, the Vesuvius, Eben is both surprised and reluctant until she offers him a tantalizing bargain that he can’t refuse.
When he returns to her that very evening though she has disappeared...After two years of searching for Ivy while also taking out the slaver ships of the mysterious Black Guard Eben finds Ivy Blacksmith in Fool's Cove and must persuade her to build a secret machine for the Iron Duke. But will he also be able to banish the fear he sees in her eyes while still keeping his needed reputation intact as Mad Machen?

Thoughts:

Here There Be Monsters is an exciting jaunt through the world of steampunk and a fantastic introduction to The Iron Seas series. I instantly fell in love with Ivy and Eben and the chemistry they have together is phenomenal. Eben is exceedingly patient and determined while Ivy is strong and responsible, they make a good team.

Here There Be Monsters is an imaginative world with believable characters. The story contains a little bit of action but mostly this is a love story. And wooo…there is a very steamy love scene. Ending with a surprising and ingenuous twist for a happily ever after.

These ten chapters will have you begging for more of The Iron Seas world so make sure to have The Iron Duke handy afterwards! (Review to come of The Iron Duke)