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Crime Wave in a Corset
Roderick Coddington is on a mission to make Cornelia Peabody pay. After identifying her as the thief who stole a priceless Fabergé egg from his dying sister, he finds her and shackles a deadly timepiece to her arm. If she doesn't return the egg by Christmas morning, she will die.
Normally seven days is more than enough time for Cornelia to carry out the perfect crime, but Roderick's intrusion into her life is beyond distracting. He challenges her mind, and ignites her body with desire she's never felt before. But worst of all, he threatens the independence she values above all else...
As Roderick spends time with Cornelia, he realizes there's a lonely soul hidden beneath her beautiful but criminal veneer. Falling for a thief wasn't part of Roderick's plan, but plans can change and he has no intention of letting another priceless treasure get away from him.
Normally seven days is more than enough time for Cornelia to carry out the perfect crime, but Roderick's intrusion into her life is beyond distracting. He challenges her mind, and ignites her body with desire she's never felt before. But worst of all, he threatens the independence she values above all else...
As Roderick spends time with Cornelia, he realizes there's a lonely soul hidden beneath her beautiful but criminal veneer. Falling for a thief wasn't part of Roderick's plan, but plans can change and he has no intention of letting another priceless treasure get away from him.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2011
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 31, 2021
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I found the ending a bit too quick what with all the angst built up. It should have taken more than a couple pages to disperse it all. But I still really enjoyed this moralistic tale of redemption.
She is a thief and yes, she did steal from him. Does this make her evil like he says? No just misguided, as he will come to understand. In fact, he is just as misguided!
He maneuvers her into his control so that he can force her to recover what she stole from him.
I loved the gadgetry and 'Victorian science'. I loved that she is such a strong woman. Yes she suffers from lustful longings around him, but he is the one with the weak-knee syndrome. Neither of them truly gets the upper hand.
safety is good
I found the ending a bit too quick what with all the angst built up. It should have taken more than a couple pages to disperse it all. But I still really enjoyed this moralistic tale of redemption.
She is a thief and yes, she did steal from him. Does this make her evil like he says? No just misguided, as he will come to understand. In fact, he is just as misguided!
He maneuvers her into his control so that he can force her to recover what she stole from him.
I loved the gadgetry and 'Victorian science'. I loved that she is such a strong woman. Yes she suffers from lustful longings around him, but he is the one with the weak-knee syndrome. Neither of them truly gets the upper hand.
safety is good
November 1, 2011
I got to read an advance copy of this story and it's one of my favorite reads of 2011. Top three, I'd say off-hand, without looking at everything I read this year.
I'm fairly new to steampunk, but I found the world to be rich and detailed, without being overwhelming. I never felt lost or confused. The relationship between the hero and heroine had intense conflict and the sexual tension between them was delicious. The plot was fascinating, the holiday theme woven in seamlessly and the ending... Once I got about 3/4 through, my house could have been on fire and the firefighters would have had to carry me out still reading because I never looked up from the Kindle.
I highly recommend Crime Wave in a Corset and, if you haven't tried steampunk yet and you're looking for an approachable novella-sized introduction to it, this is your story.
I'm fairly new to steampunk, but I found the world to be rich and detailed, without being overwhelming. I never felt lost or confused. The relationship between the hero and heroine had intense conflict and the sexual tension between them was delicious. The plot was fascinating, the holiday theme woven in seamlessly and the ending... Once I got about 3/4 through, my house could have been on fire and the firefighters would have had to carry me out still reading because I never looked up from the Kindle.
I highly recommend Crime Wave in a Corset and, if you haven't tried steampunk yet and you're looking for an approachable novella-sized introduction to it, this is your story.
December 12, 2011
A hero who shackles a heroine with a device that can blow her to smithereens -- not quite what you’d expect from a Christmas romance! Being a far bigger fan of angsty than sappy, I enjoyed the touch of edginess -- and have no fear, the Christmas sap does come along for a warm happy ending.
Cornelia Peabody, the smartest, toughest and most determinedly heartless thief around, is shocked to be taken off guard by Roderick Coddington. (And excuse me for a moment while I snort at that awesome Victorian name. *Snort*! Okay, done.) A theft that had been a triumph for her had been a personal disaster for him, causing him to believe Cornelia that lowest scum that ever walked the earth. Sadly enough, Cornelia agrees with him.
With Coddington’s deadly invention giving her only a week in which to recover his lost item, Cornelia faces one of the hardest challenges of her exceptionally hard life. Coddington is also facing a challenge -- resisting his attraction to a woman he hates.
While I was enjoying reading this, I wasn’t sure how well it would hold up to close scrutiny. Much become clear by the end, however -- I won’t give any spoilers, but I think most of the things that made me go “hmmm” were cleared up. The historical accuracy was a bit dubious at times, but this is steampunk, so I guess we can’t really hold authors to that. Anyway, even while a few things were niggling at me, I was swept up in the fast-paced and strongly emotional storytelling. Poor Cornelia is so tragically sad, falling in love with a man she thinks she can never deserve, and Roderick, when not driven mad with grief, is just the strong, caring man she needs. A couple of steamy scenes are very enjoyable, without taking over the story. Recommended for anyone who likes Christmas romance that’s sweet without sending you into a diabetic coma.
(reviewed from e-arc provided by netGalley.)
Cornelia Peabody, the smartest, toughest and most determinedly heartless thief around, is shocked to be taken off guard by Roderick Coddington. (And excuse me for a moment while I snort at that awesome Victorian name. *Snort*! Okay, done.) A theft that had been a triumph for her had been a personal disaster for him, causing him to believe Cornelia that lowest scum that ever walked the earth. Sadly enough, Cornelia agrees with him.
With Coddington’s deadly invention giving her only a week in which to recover his lost item, Cornelia faces one of the hardest challenges of her exceptionally hard life. Coddington is also facing a challenge -- resisting his attraction to a woman he hates.
While I was enjoying reading this, I wasn’t sure how well it would hold up to close scrutiny. Much become clear by the end, however -- I won’t give any spoilers, but I think most of the things that made me go “hmmm” were cleared up. The historical accuracy was a bit dubious at times, but this is steampunk, so I guess we can’t really hold authors to that. Anyway, even while a few things were niggling at me, I was swept up in the fast-paced and strongly emotional storytelling. Poor Cornelia is so tragically sad, falling in love with a man she thinks she can never deserve, and Roderick, when not driven mad with grief, is just the strong, caring man she needs. A couple of steamy scenes are very enjoyable, without taking over the story. Recommended for anyone who likes Christmas romance that’s sweet without sending you into a diabetic coma.
(reviewed from e-arc provided by netGalley.)
December 17, 2012
This is a plot driven mystery within the workings of a Victorian Steampunk setting. The imagery is fantastic. Following in the Victorian tradition of story telling, there is a orphan-like character, turned thief and a wealthy foe turned benefactor. The savior of moral choice is deep within, but also influenced with a slight push from the outside world. Although this is Steampunk, which obviously allows for a creative splintering from the typical restraints of the era, I still had a difficult time with aspects of the language used and also, the depiction and thoughts (mostly wording) when it came to intimacy. I just didn't care for the word choice coupled with the era, i.e. 'hard,' it just didn't work for me in a Victorian set story.
November 30, 2011
This story has everything--charm, gadgets, spunk, steam, tension. Cornelia Peabody has made a decent life for herself as a clever thief, always targeting large institutions so nobody gets hurt, but this time she has miscalculated and it may just cost her her life.
Her emotions and self-loathing as she realizes what she's done... and must do again, or die...
This was my first steampunk story and it really was a fabulous introduction. I definitely recommend this!
Her emotions and self-loathing as she realizes what she's done... and must do again, or die...
This was my first steampunk story and it really was a fabulous introduction. I definitely recommend this!
May 24, 2024
Very good until the end half when it was all about being a good girl. A good girl is a virgin. A good girl resist sexual relations, but also must give some when overwhelmed. A good girl feels bad, feels remorse, feels shame. A good girl puts other people first, even if it kills her. Gah. I really wanted a real villain. 3.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2011
Cornelia didn't have the best upbringing and with having no education she falls back on stealing as a way to survive. She is highly intelligent and good at what she does so it comes as quite a shock when one of her victims manages to track her down. Roderick is determined to get revenge on Cornelia after she stole a priceless object from his beloved Beth who then died shortly after the robbery. He wants the Fabergé egg back and he's going to make Cornelia get it for him. When he shackles her with a deadly timepiece that will electrocute her if he doesn't disable it within seven days Cornelia knows she has to do what he asks but as Roderick gets to know her he realises that she isn't quite the cold heated thief she appears to be.
Crime Wave in a Corset is a sweet story and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Cornelia may be a thief but she is a really likable character and although she thinks of herself as heartless she is much nicer than she gives herself credit for. She has never had anyone she can rely on and believes herself completely unworthy of love. Roderick was devastated by the loss of Beth, he thinks Cornelia is the lowest of the low and is determined to get revenge on her. His threats to kill her make it hard to like him in the beginning but you can understand why he has such a low opinion of her. The last thing he is expecting is for the thief to steal his heart but the more time he spends with Cornelia the deeper she gets under his skin. It was sweet watching this couple get to know each other, their romance is hot and I enjoyed the steampunk elements to the story. A fun Christmas read and one I'd recommend to fans of historical romance and steampunk.
Crime Wave in a Corset is a sweet story and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Cornelia may be a thief but she is a really likable character and although she thinks of herself as heartless she is much nicer than she gives herself credit for. She has never had anyone she can rely on and believes herself completely unworthy of love. Roderick was devastated by the loss of Beth, he thinks Cornelia is the lowest of the low and is determined to get revenge on her. His threats to kill her make it hard to like him in the beginning but you can understand why he has such a low opinion of her. The last thing he is expecting is for the thief to steal his heart but the more time he spends with Cornelia the deeper she gets under his skin. It was sweet watching this couple get to know each other, their romance is hot and I enjoyed the steampunk elements to the story. A fun Christmas read and one I'd recommend to fans of historical romance and steampunk.
December 7, 2011
You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance
Crime Wave in a Corset draws the reader in from the beginning, and you’ll soon find yourself rooting for the dubious heroine, Cornelia Peabody, thief. Cornelia’s fought her way from the streets and invents all sorts of clever contraptions to aid her robbing organizations such as the local university. Unfortunately, one of her more successful jobs, stealing a Fabergé egg, has come back to haunt her.
Roderick Coddington (Coddington is NOT the best last name for a hero, imo) ambushes Cornelia in her home. That Fabergé egg belonged to his beloved Beth, who died shortly after its disappearance. He attaches a deadly timepiece to Cornelia’s wrist, and if she can’t recover the egg in a week, the timepiece will kill her.
Ms. Gail did a great job of this enemies-turned-lovers novella. At first Roderick comes across as unlikeable, even though he’s not the villain , but Cornelia is a very likeable character, and you’ll enjoy watching the two fall in love. 4 out of 5
I received this novella for review from the Publisher through NetGalley.
Crime Wave in a Corset draws the reader in from the beginning, and you’ll soon find yourself rooting for the dubious heroine, Cornelia Peabody, thief. Cornelia’s fought her way from the streets and invents all sorts of clever contraptions to aid her robbing organizations such as the local university. Unfortunately, one of her more successful jobs, stealing a Fabergé egg, has come back to haunt her.
Roderick Coddington (Coddington is NOT the best last name for a hero, imo) ambushes Cornelia in her home. That Fabergé egg belonged to his beloved Beth, who died shortly after its disappearance. He attaches a deadly timepiece to Cornelia’s wrist, and if she can’t recover the egg in a week, the timepiece will kill her.
Ms. Gail did a great job of this enemies-turned-lovers novella. At first Roderick comes across as unlikeable, even though he’s not the villain , but Cornelia is a very likeable character, and you’ll enjoy watching the two fall in love. 4 out of 5
I received this novella for review from the Publisher through NetGalley.
December 7, 2011
Part of A Clockwork Christmas. I went back and forth on this one a lot. On the one hand, it made me tear up on SEVERAL occasions, mostly do to the depth of Cornelia's inability to love herself and feeling unworthy of anyone elses love. On the other hand, I tend to like subtlety, and instead of this coming out in hints and little emotional reveals... it tended to come out in lengthy out-bursts that seemed like a plot-device to get the information out there. I enjoyed it, but it would have been better as a longer story where the author had more time to develop the characters relationship and connection. And although I knew Roderick was going to end up love her because this was a romance, I would have preferred more from his POV so we could really see his line of thinking and watch him develop feelings for her.
January 5, 2012
Read as part of the A Clockwork Christmas anthology. Full review available on The Romanceaholic.
Author’s Website: http://stacygail.blogspot.com/
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Overall, this was one of my favorite stories in the anthology. While I was disappointed that it included forced nudity, Cornelia’s character more than made up for it. The tension between Cornelia and Roderick was delicious, as was the love/hate relationship that began to develop almost immediately. This was my second-favorite story in the anthology.
A solid 4.5/5 Stars.
Author’s Website: http://stacygail.blogspot.com/
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Overall, this was one of my favorite stories in the anthology. While I was disappointed that it included forced nudity, Cornelia’s character more than made up for it. The tension between Cornelia and Roderick was delicious, as was the love/hate relationship that began to develop almost immediately. This was my second-favorite story in the anthology.
A solid 4.5/5 Stars.
September 4, 2013
I was hoping for a good steampunk tale, but got more erotic steam than story. This could have been better, the story seemed to be built around and for the more "intimate" situations than the other way around. It's difficult to find a good steampunk tale that isn't more eroticism than story or doesn't involve vampires. No mistake, there are no vampires here but plenty of the erotic. Disappointed, I would give this only 1 star but, what there was of steampunk, was interesting, and I didn't despise the story nor did I quit reading. So, there were some redemptive qualities.
January 13, 2012
I've been reading a lot of steampunk lately and I have to say this was the first novella I really enjoyed. The writing on so many isn't very good. I was beginning to think this wasn't the genre for me, but I've changed my mind. This was excellent.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews