PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHANTOMS by Cindy Spencer Pape

The Gaslight Chronicles
Publisher: Carina Press
Date published: April 2011
ISBN: 9781426891533
E-Book
Steampunk romance
Reviewed by Valerie
Obtained by publisher


Another exciting story in The Gaslight Chronicles, Cindy Spencer Pape gives her readers insight into an alternative history and the men of the Order of the Round Table.

Amy Deland is a photographer and is very concerned as strange shadows show up on her developed pictures and shortly after, a person dies. She contacts her powerful uncle, Lord Drood, the most powerful magician for help. Thinking he will send a clerk she is surprised when the handsome Lord Lake shows up on her doorstep. Kendall Lake is equally surprised to find, not the grey, bespectacled spinster he expected, but a young, beautiful woman. The stage is set for romance, but there is an evil presence and a certain someone who is set on keeping them apart. Kendall and Amy work together to find the culprit and help comes in the form of Caroline and her adopted daughter, Nell. Can they stop the evil phantom before it rips Amy and Kendall apart forever?

This is a short story at only sixty-seven pages, but is an adventure that I savored until the very last page. If you’ve read STEAM AND SORCERY then I am sure you’ve already read this one. I know that after STEAM AND SORCERY I couldn’t wait to read PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHANTOMS and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved the characters, the setting, the plot, the secondary characters and it was lovely to see Caroline and the children from STEAM AND SORCERY. The romance is sensuous, erotic and very romantic. It was great seeing these two fall in love. The conflict is believable and I love the mix of steampunk and magic that Ms. Pape gives her readers. It all flows well and seems totally natural. I do hope that Ms. Pape will write more stories around the men and women of The Order of the Round Table. It’s a great concept and I am sure she can come up with more wonderful adventures and great characters who find their way to true love.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.