Kiss of Steel [Mass Market Paperback]

Bec McMaster (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 1, 2012

"Action, adventure, steampunk, and blazing hot seduction...Bec McMaster offers it all."—Eve Silver, author of Sins of the Flesh

A brilliantly creative debut where vampires, werewolves, and clockwork creatures roam the mist–shrouded streets of London...

When Nowhere is Safe

Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven. But at what price?

Blade is known as the master of the rookeries—no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single–handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood–craving he's been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal.

When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so...innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel—or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402270275
• ISBN-13: 978-1402270277
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 1.3 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #456,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Honoria Todd had a happy, comfortable life until her father was murdered. Now, six months later, she is desperately clinging to the illusion of respectability while at the same time taking care of her younger sister and brother. When Honoria loses her job teaching elocution, she has no choice but to accept the offer of Blade’s protection from her old nemesis, the Duke of Vickers. As the unofficial ruler of Whitechapel, Blade might share the same taste for blood as the Echelon, who live in the posh part of London, but his philosophy of life is nothing like that of the blue-blooded aristocrats who rule over the city. Discovering the secrets Honoria closely guards could provide Blade with the leverage he needs to finally bring down Vickers, but only if Blade’s unexpected love for Honoria doesn’t destroy them both first. Set in an exquisitely imagined, alternative late-nineteenth-century England, McMaster’s wildly inventive plot deftly blends elements of steampunk and vampire romance with brilliantly successful results. Darkly atmospheric and delectably sexy, Kiss of Steel is an extraordinary debut. --John Charles

Review

"Unique, spellbinding, thrilling and complex ... a must read for paranormal fans and steampunk fans alike. 5/5 Stars, Reviewer Top Pick" - Night Owl Reviews

"Dark, intense, and sexy, this mesmerizing debut takes readers into a grim, depraved, clearly crafted Victorian steampunk world... A stunning new series with an intriguing twist on the vampire theme." - Library Journal

"Smart, sexy storytelling at its best." - Fresh Fiction

"Undeniable, crackling-with-tension chemistry... " - NetGalley Reader Reviews

"Great plot, great character development, intense steamy moments and a great ending. I can't fault a thing. I was captivated from start to finish." - Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews

"Plenty of tension and suspense with several mysteries to solve..." - Sia McKye's Thoughts Over Coffee

"McMaster creates a fantastic world... I was hooked from the first few pages and found it almost impossible to put down. " - Book Chick City

"Wildly different from anything I have ever read... What an imagination Bec McMaster has. " - BookLoons.com

"An exquisitely imagined, alternative late-nineteenth-century England, McMaster's wildly inventive plot deftly blends elements of steampunk and vampire romance with brilliantly successful results. Darkly atmospheric and delectably sexy, Kiss of Steel is an extraordinary debut. STARRED Review" - Booklist

"Action packed with love scenes that will rock your boat... " - Yankee Romance Reviewers

"Creative... a fresh take on the vampire lore... " - Sia McKye's Thoughts Over Coffee

"The gloriously dark world-building, the steampunk elements blended beautifully with the paranormal, the luscious romance and the incredible chemistry all added up to a must read for any fan of gothic romance with a steampunk twist." - The Romanceaholic

"I really enjoyed this story... I became invested in the characters... Looking forward to reading the second story. " - That's What I'm Talking About

"Spectacular... The world was gritty, dangerous, and dark, the characters were full of strength and passion and furious honor. " - One Good Book Deserves Another

This is one of my favourite adult, Victorian era steampunk books I have read. I absolutely adored this book.

"McMaster's world is grim and violent, but there is hope for the characters, and this reader couldn't help but be pulled into the characters' struggle." - Book Lover and Procrastinator

"The world building in this book was just plain amazing." - Books Like Breathing

"McMaster creates a fantastic world... impossible to put down. " - Book Chick City

"GET THIS BOOK. If you ever loved vampires, and/or have even a mild interest in steampunk (which she also handles beautifully), please, take a chance on this lovely author." - Lori Reads

"Kiss of Steel is the first historical steampunk since the start of the Iron Seas series that balances both in depth world building, romance conflict, and social conflicts. Lovers of that historical fantasy fiction would be remiss to not pick this book up." - Dear Author

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (September 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402270275
• ISBN-13: 978-1402270277
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 1.3 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #456,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Award winning author Bec McMaster lives in a small town in Victoria, Australia, and grew up with her nose in a book. Following a lifelong love affair with fantasy, she discovered romance and hasn't looked back. A member of RWA, she writes sexy, dark paranormals and adventurous steampunk romances. When not writing, reading, or poring over travel brochures, she loves spending time with her very own hero or daydreaming about new worlds.

Her first novel, Kiss of Steel, is a steampunk romance from Sourcebooks and debuts September, 2012. Heart of Iron is due for release May 2013. Visit her website at www.becmcmaster.com or follow her on twitter @BecMcMaster.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars More paranormal romance than steampunk, but good story overall. September 3, 2012

By J. Markovic

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

KISS OF STEEL reimagines our world with an aristocratic vampire class as the lynchpin that changes everything familiar. People pay their taxes in blood, medicine strives to discover more about this all important virus, and weaponry scales up to combat a different class of powerful superhumans. Though there are certainly flavors of steampunk in the alternate history, KISS OF STEEL feels much more like a well written paranormal romance to me.

But while advanced gadgets doesn't get much pagetime, McMaster does explore the medical developments of the time. Calling the ruling class "vampires" is an oversimplification, and is actually incorrect by the mechanics of this world. I loved the intricacies of blue bloods and vampires, the infected and the changed, all the different permutations of a virus that society doesn't entirely understand. And despite the fact that Honoria and Blade are drawn together by a classic, paranormal romance "inexplicable physical attraction", McMaster provided growth and emotional connection to support turning that sexual chemistry into something more lasting. There were a few instances where the plot stumbled, mostly concerning the supporting character Barrons, his relationship with Honoria's father, and his enmity for Vickers. Those missteps bumped the series from "pre-order" to "wait and see", if only because Barrons's murky motivations made me less interested in him as a future hero.

Even with Barrons low on my list, there are still plenty of intriguing characters I'm hoping to see again. If the sexually conflicted Will, the duchess of Casavian, or the human queen held captive by her vampire consort are in staring roles, London Steampunk #2 will go to the top of my To Be Read list.... Those characters may also be living in a changed landscape, as the culmination of KISS OF STEEL seems like it would send ripples throughout the blue blood world. A fun romance with interesting world building, I'm looking forward to seeing where London Steampunk goes next.

Sexual Content: Several sex scenes. Read more ›

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gothic Paranormal Steampunk At Its Best September 6, 2012

By Jess

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I. Loved. This book.

Dark, and gritty, with a scrumptious blend of steampunk, vampires, sex, and danger, this book captured me from the very first paragraph and wouldn't let me go until I'd finished it. I actually ended up staying up all night reading it, even knowing I had to get up early the next morning, because I couldn't stand the thought of putting it down.

That doesn't happen often with me.

Blade was delicious, with his barely-leashed violence and animalistic intensity when it came to Honoria, and he easily ranks as one of my new favorite heroes in romance.

Honoria, too, was a surprisingly enjoyable character, with just enough stubbornness and pride to keep things interesting, but well balanced with quite a bit of intelligence and passion.

The gloriously dark world-building, the steampunk elements blended beautifully with the paranormal, the luscious romance and the incredible chemistry all added up to a must read for any fan of gothic romance with a steampunk twist.

5/5 Stars

{This book provided, free of charge, by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Full review available on The Romanceaholic}

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Vampire steampunk done well, great read! September 1, 2012

By Heather Davis TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition

What can I say about Kiss of Steel- I loved it, it's vampire steampunk done well!

Honoria Todd is a human woman, down on her luck. She is in charge of her two younger siblings, one of which is facing the blue blood virus. She hardly has enough money to make ends meet when she is noticed by Blade, the master of the rookeries and notorious Blue Blood. Blade is drawn to Honoria and determined to make her his, but he wants her for more than blood and finds himself going out of his way to keep her safe, especially when powerful enemies want her as well.

I am a fan of the steampunk genre, but I don't get the opportunity to read it very often. So, when I had the opportunity to read and review Kiss of Steel, I was excited. Bec McMaster has created a very unique paranormal world filled with humans and thralls, Blue Bloods (infected/vampire-like humans), and the occasional vicious/rabid vampire on a rampage. It took awhile for me to understand the setting, but I really loved the set up, and the story in general.

I liked Honoria a lot, it was easy to relate to her and her situation, even in such a unique world. She was just trying to take care of her family to the best of her abilities, and she had a difficult time overcoming prejudices that had been taught to her. I really like Blade as well, he is a good man with a nasty reputation. However, he takes care of his own and he made a place and a life for himself outside of the rulers confines. Honoria and Blade develop a solid connection, and sparks fly between them. I love the romance in this book, it doesn't come easy for Honoria and Blade, but it is well-deserved.

Steampunk is a historical setting, but that doesn't mean that there is no action. There is plenty of action in this fast-paced book.... The vampires and blue-bloods are deadly fighters and life in the rookeries is far from peaceful.

With excellent world-building, and intriguing setting, memorable characters, and (of course) romance, Kiss of Steel is altogether an excellent read. Readers who like paranormal books, vampires, or even steampunk, I highly recommend giving Kiss of Steel a try.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review* Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5: Amazing! Kicks Traditional Paranormal Romance's Butt September 12, 2012

By I Read Romance

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Wow is all I can say to this book by Bec McMaster. This is my first steampunk romance and I'm glad that I picked it up.

McMaster creates an alternate Victorian era that is ruled by science and technology. Unlawful experimentation on humans, experiments gone wrong, blood, death, some gore are just a few of the elements in this book. The paranormal aspect incorporates vampires and werewolves: the upper class are created vampires and the werewolves are from traditional European "wolf" areas such as Scotland, Norway, and Germany. The romance is hot and emotional with characters that are strong and memorable.

The story is about a scientific turf war between upper class London and the criminals of Whitechapel in east London. The upper class are people ruled by money and ambition who double-deal and stab their way to success in search of a way to preserve their vampiric characteristics, and to prevent themselves from turning rogue and being killed. Whitechapel is ruled mainly by the hero, an involuntarily turned vampire who is out for revenge against the upper class in general, but one duke in particular. The heroine is part of the scientific crowd that straddles both world, but she and her family have fallen on hard times due to the murder of her father.

Just a warning that the action is fast paced and can be brutal. At times some scenes are a lot more gory than what romance readers are used to reading. Usually romance writers who write about east London just allude to how dangerous it is and toss in a few knife fights and slash injuries. However McMaster is unafraid to describe the blood and pouring entrails (in one scene). It's not a book of just blood a gore, but a warning to the squeamish reader....

This book is a huge breath of fresh air in the stale paranormal genre and I CANNOT WAIT for McMaster's next book. I highly recommend this romance for readers who have been waiting for someone willing to really write about the darkside of London and are tired of reading paranormals where shape-shifting and drinking blood seam to be the only abnormal aspects.

For those that are unfamiliar with steampunk (I was!) according to unreliable but readily available Wikipedia: "Steampunk is a genre that originated during the 1980s and early 1990s and incorporates elements of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, horror, and speculative fiction. It involves a setting where steam power is widely used--whether in an alternative history such as Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United States, or in a post-apocalyptic time --that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology, or futuristic innovations as Victorians might have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art." Read more ›