Category: Victorian Era (1837-1901)

In the history of the United Kingdom, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardian period, and its later half overlaps with the first part of the Belle Époque era of continental Europe.
Preceded by: Regency era
Followed by: Edwardian era
Monarch: Victoria

Miss Morton Takes The Waters by Catherine Lloyd

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Miss Morton Takes the Waters (A Miss Morton Mystery)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Miss Morton Mysteries #5
Publication Date: 8/25/26
Period: Early Victorian, 1841
Number of Pages: 272

Miss Morton has been quite concerned about her employer, Mrs. Frogerton, since Mrs. Frogerton was seriously injured during their last adventure. Mrs. Frogerton’s wound has healed, but her spirits have not. When the doctor agrees that a season in Bath might be just the thing to restore Mrs. Frogerton to her normal spritely self, they head out almost immediately.

Mrs. Frogerton wasn’t enamored of the baths and refused to try them a second time. Miss Morton despaired of Bath providing any help at all. However, they soon met their neighbors, and things began to perk up – especially after a murder, and then another. It wasn’t long before Mrs. Frogerton was up to her mischievous self while ‘helping’ the local police Inspector. With lots of suspects and motives, they had their work cut out for them.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the irrepressible Mrs. Frogerton return in full force and bowl right through both the police and the suspects. At the same time, the more level-headed Miss Morton tried to keep her steered in the correct direction. This book had a nice selection of new characters, and I wonder if we’ll have another book set in Bath before they return to London. If we are not going to have another book in Bath, there are a few loose ends I would have liked to see finished. What happened to Mrs. Walsh? What happened with Mr. and Miss Markham? Did Miss Markham and Mr. Pettigrew get together? I hate hanging chads 😊.

I would suggest that while this book can be read as a standalone, you would find far more enjoyment if you read the series from the beginning. The character growth and backgrounds throughout the series definitely enhance your reading pleasure.

This is a book I recommend and hope you will enjoy as much as I did. Happy Reading!!!

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Contemporary in Period Dress, Historical Mystery, Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Demons and Diplomacy (Ministry of Supernatural Affairs Book 1)Demons and Diplomacy by Megan Frampton

Tracy’s Rating: 2.5/3 of 5 stars

Series: Ministry of Supernatural Affairs, #1

Release Date: August 25, 2026

Cora Hastings serves as Britain’s Species Ombudsman in a Victorian London where supernatural beings have publicly joined society after the Great Revelation. Her role places her between humans and supernatural species, requiring diplomacy, order, and practical problem-solving. Marcellus, the Marquis of Hell, becomes central to her assignment when he arrives with his father, the Devil, and his characterization leans into charm, temptation, and demonic influence. The supporting characters, including Cora’s friends and the supernatural figures surrounding the diplomatic visit, mainly function around Cora’s work, the developing romance, and the broader political tensions of the setting.

Cora is assigned to escort and manage the Devil’s visit to London ahead of the Great Exhibition, a diplomatic responsibility that becomes more complicated once threats against supernatural beings begin to surface. As Cora and Marcellus work together, the story combines historical romance, paranormal politics, mystery, and fantasy elements. The central conflict involves maintaining peace between humans and supernatural society while uncovering a conspiracy connected to the exhibition and the Devil’s presence in London.

When I learned that Megan Frampton was trying her hand at Romantasy, I was all in, I have read all of her Historical Romances and love her writing style, so I was rather surprised to find that she had written this book in the first person and that it just didn’t flow as well as her previous books had. I thought the premise had a lot of promise, especially with its supernatural version of Victorian London and Cora’s role as a government liaison between species. The worldbuilding and political setup were interesting, but the romance developed too quickly for me and did not have enough emotional build-up to make the connection feel fully earned. Also, the first-person narrative made Cora’s thoughts around Marcellus feel repetitive and sometimes disconnected from the high-stakes situation around her. While I can see the appeal for readers who enjoy light historical paranormal romance with banter, this one did not work for me.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *