Amazon knew I’d been eyeing The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason for a while now. The description was both intriguing, and also a little like being set up for disappointment so I would look at it, but not buy it. Then Amazon’s algorithm decided I should know it was cheaper for a limited time, and I decided to finally give it a try. You would think a book featuring Sherlock Holme’s niece (Mina) and Bram Stoker’s sister (Evaline) in a steampunk setting would be overreaching, but to my surprise it actually works.

In a way it’s like an enemies to lovers romance except both those women are straight and have separate love interests. Mina is all observation and deduction whereas Evaline is all jump in and kick ass first, then sort out who did what and why. They hate each other immediately and work together poorly in the first book, but there is promise of the two being able to appreciate each other by the end of book one. Then I immediately bought book two. There are five books in the series so I can’t guarantee Gleason will be able to successfully land this plane, but I’ve learned not to underestimate her.