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Book Review of The Bride of Blackfriars Lane

The Bride of Blackfriars Lane
VolunteerVal avatar reviewed on + 646 more book reviews


I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Kit Turner and Jackson Forge in The Thief of Blackfrairs Lane, so I was eager for the next installment of their adventures, and The Bride of Blackfriars Lane delivered! The second book in the series picked up soon after the first book's conclusion so readers should definitely read these in order.

Constable Jackson and his fiance Kit work together to investigate crimes in 1885 London. In between getting themselves into all sorts of dangerous predicaments, they plan to marry and begin the next chapter of their lives. However, on the morning of the ceremony, only one of them is at the altar, but the other has a good reason for their absence. Will they ever say "I do."?

Michelle Griep writes great action scenes that put readers in the "front row" for it all - I'd love to see these novels adapted into a limited TV series. She's also skilled at conveying the muck and mire of the gritty side of London these characters inhabit. The plot includes lots of unsavory people and circumstances, but the author balances it with flashes of humor and a constant thread of faith and God's goodness. Kit and Jackson's backstories are also shared, which helps them feel more fully formed.

The only part of the story I didn't enjoy was the prolonged time Kit and Jackson were at odds with each other; their misunderstandings could've been resolved with a conversation or two. As a result, the middle section of the novel dragged. But the pace picked up in the final quarter, and I was curious about the details of the ending until the final page. Will there be a third book in this series?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.