Indiana Jones meets Hunting Prince Dracula in The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett, a plucky historical romance with a dash of the paranormal.
The Last Magician meets A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in this thrilling tale filled with magic and set in the mysterious Carpathian Mountains where a girl must hunt down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father.
Some legends never die…
Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.
Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.
Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it.
I loved this spunky heroine, the dark twisty plotline, the charming love interest, and the madcap hijinks through Eastern Europe circa the late 1930s. This fast-paced book sucked me in immediately, and the combination of intriguing plotline and endlessly charming characters kept me hooked from start to finish.
Theodora is an absolute delight, and though The Lady Rogue is touted as a standalone (which I adore), I could easily see following her (and Huck) on more madcap adventures involving mystical antiquities in the late 1930s. In fact, the pluckiness of the characters and the plotline are a little reminiscent of the vibe found in Bennett’s Roaring Twenties adult historical/paranormal romance series. (If you enjoyed those books, you’ll definitely want to read this one — and vice versa! So, too, will fans of the Jackaby and the Stalking Jack the Ripper series find plenty to love within the pages of The Lady Rogue.)
The Lady Rogue is a delightful book, chock-full of adventure and intrigue; magic and mystery; and yes, just a dash of romance. There is so much to love within these pages, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent ensconced within them. Look for The Lady Rogue in stores September 3rd.
Novel Novice 
I really enjoyed this one! It was so fun!