Novella Review: Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City

Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City (Iron Seas #1.5)

-       Meljean Brook

Kindle Book

Eight months after The Iron Duke, can their marriage survive a new danger?
After Mina is called in to investigate the murder of an aristocratic bounder, her husband Rhys—known to the world as the Iron Duke—must overcome his fear for his new bride before his need to protect her tears them apart. But when she invites him to join her at the murder scene, a search for a mysterious killing machine puts her in more danger than ever before…a danger that leads straight back to Rhys.

This is a great little epilogue to The Iron Duke as we catch up with Mina and Rhys eight months into their marriage. They are both struggling to come to terms with their new situation. Rhys especially is trying to find the balance between wanting to protect his new police inspector wife and knowing that by doing so he would lose her entirely. He really seems to have grown since we first met him in The Iron Duke. Mina as well is particularly patient with Rhys and understanding of his fears. I also loved the way they brought Anne the Tinker into their family and how all three of them are still figuring out the family dynamic as its new to all of them.

The story itself is based on the murder of prominent bounder and involves some politics about automating factories verses the loose of jobs. It’s a grey area and while the murder is solved, the situation does raise some interesting grey areas which may be explored in future stories... I did enjoy some of the automation and gadgets that are explored – the two-seater balloons seem wonderful (I would love one myself!).

This is a wonderful little coda into a book I particularly adored and a little insight into how a happily ever after really works. Some excitement, some smexy action and I am now hungry to read Heart of Steel!

Recommended for fans of Pip Ballantine and Devon Monk. 8 out of 10.