BABBLING ABOUT BOOKS, AND MORE!: Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City Book Review *Meljean Brook*

This e-novella is $2.99 and is from one of my all time favorite authors, Meljean Brook. Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City (Iron Seas #1.5) was originally in the back of mass-market version of The Iron Duke, which I had no idea about. The Iron Duke blew my ever loving mind out of the water (you can read my review here) and based on reading The Iron Duke, no other book I’ve read can come close to The Iron Duke in regards to Steampunk. Every other Steampunk type book I’ve read since The Iron Duke fails in comparison when it comes to Meljean’s writing, and her Steampunk world is exactly what a Steampunk novel should be.

Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City begins eight months after, or around the end of The Iron Duke. Detective Inspector Mina is now married to Rhys Traehaearn, aka the Iron Duke who ended up saving England from the nasty Horde that basically made slaves of the people of England and most of Europe for centuries. Mina and Rhys had a very eccentric courtship, even if you can call it that. Both Mina and Rhys are still trying to become accustomed to being married, although they are so head over heels in love with one another. Rhys fears for Mina’s safety because she still works as a detective for the London police. Sometimes Mina gets into scrapes and is hurt by the criminals, and when Rhys finds out he doesn’t scream or yell or goes crazy, but shows through his undying passion for Mina how much she means to him. Mina loves being married to Rhys, especially the marriage bed, and other places outside the bedroom where Rhys can love her. These two are very feisty for one another! Hurrah for feisty married couples. But Mina worries that Rhys may one day fall out of love with her. Rhys worries he may lose Mina and worried that she doesn’t know the deep, all consuming love he has for her although he tries to show her everyday with his actions (usually though his lovemaking), or something simple as a look.

When a man who runs in Rhys’s circle ends up murdered, it’s up to Mina to solve the crime. Rhys wants to help her and soon they’re working together to find the villain who may have an ulterior motive against both Rhys and Mina, where he wants them both dead.

Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City is one of the best novellas I read this year mostly in part because I love Mina and Rhys together. They remind me of Roarke and Eve from JD Robb’s In Death series. These two connect so well together and the balance of action, as well as the love scenes are great. I also adore Rhys’s friend Scarsdale who is now one of my favorite characters of Meljean’s (perhaps more so than Michael from Meljean’s Guardian series. Shhhh don’t tell her). Scarsdale is adorable, witty and one you want to hug close and not let go. Something big happens with him here and his pain is so palatable because he must sacrifice himself to pay a role in public. Scarsdale is gay and can’t be his true self or love who he wants because he’s heir to a vast fortune and must have a sterling reputation because of his family’s name. Things are left unresolved with Scarsdale, but I’m so thrilled that Meljean has plans to write his own story, which means Scarsdale gets his own HEA, and it looks like it will be a M/M romance. I did my own Snoopy Dance when I heard this, and whether Meljean self publishes or Berkley decides to publish Scarsdale’s story, I will but it as soon as it's available. Scarsdale owns my heart and I’m a total fan girl over him.

If you are a big fan of Meljean’s and love her Iron Seas series, you must get Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City for your collection. Mina is an unbelievably strong heroine and Rhys a hero in every sense of the word. This is one novella you may end up re-reading again and again because it’s so good. (Berkley Sensation)

Final Grade: A-