The Tin Rose

Elemental Web Stories #1

by Anne Renwick

A gypsy's promise. A clockwork poison. A race to save a love balanced on the edge.

On the night they were to elope, a spurned lover returned. A gift, she claimed. But the clockwork contraption unwound a poisonous bloom, sending Lady Emily and Luca, her gypsy love, on a desperate race to reach the cure.

Genres: Steampunk, Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories

58 pages, ebook

First published September 2, 2017

About the author

Though Anne Renwick holds a Ph.D. in biology and greatly enjoyed tormenting the overburdened undergraduates who were her students, fiction has always been her first love. Today, she writes steampunk romance, placing a new kind of biotech in the hands of mad scientists, proper young ladies and determined villains.

Books: https://www.annerenwick.com/bookshelf/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Anne-Re...

Reviews

[Dana Cristiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

The writing is beautiful and elegant.
The characters are relatable.
A Victorian times story with a steampunk twist. I think this is the second steampunk book I have ever read, the first being A Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. I love this genre. It is rare but beautiful!

I adored the love between Luca and Emily! This is how a guy fallen in love reacts: with compassion and honesty, with bravery and respect.

Overall, although the story has few pages, it is beautiful and you can’t put it down once you started reading!

I recommend it!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this short story hoping to find a new author to love. I enjoyed it and went to get the second but discovered that this author likes to write lots of descriptive sex scenes in her books. This was an interesting idea about a Lady of the Ton who has already fallen in love with a Gypsy man. This is the end of there story when they are about to meet and run away together and all Crap breaks loose. This story is adventurous and interesting. The end gets a little sensual but nothing too descriptive.

[Timitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated 4.5 Stars

The Tin Rose is short but it had me wholly invested. It's edge of the seat can't wait to see what happens next goodness. I loved it and definitely recommend to those who love Steampunk and those who want to dip their toes into the genre.

[Ayşe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tin Rose - 3,5*
The Golden Spider Preview - 5*

[Roslyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you like stereotypical melodramatic romance, you'll like this. It's very well-written for what it is, but not really my cup of tea.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story was beautiful and a great prequel in the Elemental Web series. Telling the tale of Lady Emily and Luca, it fills in the gap of how Lady Emily came to run away with the Roma (gypsies) and Luca came to be reduced in health - both things that are mentioned in The Golden Spider (Book 1 of the series) but never explained.
Beautifully written as always by Ann Renwick, the short length of this story means that it can be read in one sitting - a necessity anyway as you get so caught up in the action! The characters are engaging, even the "evil" Rayka, and you really root for Lady Emily and Luca, feel kind of sorry for Rayka, and the cliff-top action will have you holding your breath!
I cannot recommend both this book and the whole Elemental Web series enough. Ann Renwick's writing is amazing, and her mix of steampunk and real-life elements are fabulous. She really has a great appreciation of Victorian-era society, and combines it effortlessly with her own special blend of magic to produce a fabulous story every time.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic Plot: Emily runs away to join her Roma husband/lover and save him from poison.

The story was good but very short, and I just wanted a lot more from it. I wanted more of the romance between Emily and Luca, and we only got it as background info. The crazy villain was dangerous, but because I had already read book 1 and this is a prequel, I already knew the outcome wouldn't be bad for the heroes. I suppose that's a me problem and not the writer's fault, but still.

[Anniken Haga · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story of jealousy and love! And that's about what good I can say about it. Sure, I liked the steampunk elements, even if they were somewhat over the top, but the whole plot of this story was rather weak and cliche. I'm sorry that I don't have anything else good to say about this short, but I found it rather boring and would have DNFed it if it was any longer.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting much from this story, since it's so short. However, I ended up really enjoying it! I do think it helped that I read The Golden Spider first. I already knew these characters, I already had some kind of bond with them and therefore I was rooting for them throughout this short story. I also like how much danger and action this short story contains! It's like this story skipped the building up and only gives us the grand finale and for some strange reason it worked! I can't wait to read all the other books in this steampunk world!

[Joann Herley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tin Rose drew me from the first page. It is a short story but not short on drama. Lady Emily has fallen in love with Luca, and she plans on marrying him. Revenge is ready to tear them apart. Emotion and suspense fill these pages. If you are looking for a short story with everything, this is it.

[Sandra Singleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic plot and characters. A must read for this author. I volunteered to read an advance copy for an honest review.

[Marti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart-in-your-throat tension with a/an ________ ending. A fabulous short story!

[Saly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was meh maybe given it is a short novella.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing short story...

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/6/2020)! 🎁

[Diana in SC · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding multi-faceted short story!

This is the first story by Anne Renwick that I have read, and I am very impressed! It is a steampunk romance short story set in an alternate world in 1888 England where robot-like clockwork machines are used instead of horses, carriages, plows, etc. Emily, a daughter of a duke, plans to run away with the young gypsy man, Luca, whom she loves. The elopement plan is complicated by a violently jealous woman who had wanted Luca for herself. This woman reminds me of fairy tale villains, but I can’t figure out which fairy tale this story is like.
There is a lot going on in this story, but it was all handled beautifully. The writing style was superb, eloquent, and easy to read. I love the exciting action, the romance, the clockwork wonders, and the intelligence of the characters. They have a deep knowledge of botany and how medicinal plants affect human physiology. I am going to recommend this story to my biologist friends. I also love how this is a great introduction to the rest of the series; it makes me excited to start reading Book #1, “The Golden Spider”. I recommend this story to all romance readers who like fairy tales, steampunk, or science.
This story is suitable for teens because it is mentioned that sex occurs between Emily and Luca, but it is glossed over; also known as a closed-door romance.
I received a free advanced reading copy from the author, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review. Previously, I have bought other books in this series, but I have not gotten around to reading them yet.

[Mayhem-RW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago, Emily had followed her brother Ned into the Gypsy camp. While he was looking for a clockworks master, she arrived with a bunch of wildflowers and was full of questions about them. Luca’s grandmother was delighted to answer Emily’s questions and would soon find herself the second pupil of his grandmother. Then she returned to the camp after a long winter and was different. Emily had blossomed into a woman and had filled out nicely, so much so that she caught Luca’s eye. Rayka saw this and became jealous. Then to top it all, she saw Luca’s father give Emily a necklace of coins, signifying she was accepted as Luca’s bride. Rayka disappeared that night and has not been seen since, but tonight, the night Emily was to sneak out of her manor and join Luca as his wife, Rayka reappeared. She returned to utter a prophecy of her own making, telling Luca that someone would die in the next few hours.

For a short story and a series starter, this tale of unrequited love and revenge sets a precedence that I hope is followed by the rest of the series. This short story has little physical world-building, and I wished for more. Character interaction is as expected for a tale of revenge and done well.

This lunchtime, maybe more, fictional fantasy romantic read set in the Victorian era with the science fiction steampunk level of technology can draw you in. That is, if you like the combination of these genres. If you do, then you should start reading now. I give this tale four stars out of five stars.

[Vani · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tin Rose is a short story that takes place over one evening and follows 4 main characters—Luca Hearn, an inventor of gypsy origin; his grandmother Nadya, a botanist/healer; Lady Emily, Nadya's apprentice and Luca's fiancé; and Rayka, a woman from the gypsy community who Luca was supposed to marry before he met Emily.

It begins with Luca waiting to give Emily the signal so she can leave her family and join his gypsy caravan. But Rayka disrupts and informs him that's she's harmed his grandmother for revenge. Luca manages to save Nadya from the poisoned tin rose Rayka gave his grandmother, but gets struck by wolfsbane poison.

When Rayka arrives at Emily's manor house to gloat about killing either Nadya or Luca, Emily rushes over only to find a poisoned Luca slumped outside. And so the race is on to find an antidote and save him.

This story is about women crossing societal boundaries as portrayed by Emily, who chose to leave her aristocratic family behind for knowledge and love, the consequences of which can be fatal or a life lived alone.

The writing is evocative and I'm surprised I've not heard of Anne Renwick before. I'm glad this was available for free in Google Play Books. If not, I might not have read it. Now I have books 2 and 3 lined up in the audiobook format. 😊

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author.

The Tin Rose is a short story prequel to The Elemental Web Chronicles alternate history/steampunk series. I had not read any of the other series in the book prior to picking this one up. For a short story, the author gave readers a pretty complete tale of forbidden love and woman scorned. Emily, a daughter from nobility, meets and falls in love with Luca, a Roma (gypsy). The story features their elopement and a jealous woman who is trying to break the couple up. The tin rose plays a role in different ways throughout the story - causing both destruction and happiness. Luca is an engineer/tinker during this time and the author uses this aspect of the character to describe her imagined steampunk world of mechanical horses, carriages, and other such machinery. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story and would be very much interested in reading more in this world.

[Selena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick read. Luca, a poor gypsy boy is planning to sneak away with Emily, the daughter of the Duke of Avesbury. Rayka has had a crush on Luca and planned on marrying him. She did not take the his attentions toward Emily well. She took his spurn so harshly that she steals one of the tin roses and puts a poison in the thorns. She implies that she has given the rose to Luca's grandmother. When Luca tries to save his grandmother, Nadya, he pricks his finger and immediately feels the poison numb his fingers.

During this time, Emily fears Luca has either changed his mind about running away together or something is horribly wrong. She rushes to Nadya's vardo to find Luca unable to stand. Nadya thinks she may have a cure for the poison but it requires they hurry through the snow and against the rush of the poison.

[OldBird · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting take of the steampunk theme, what with the main characters being roma gypsies in the wilds of Kent rather than smoggy urban lords and beggars. The romance may be a tad twee, and the villain of the piece a stereotypical obsessive jilted woman, but it's a well written cliche with just a hint of the fantastical. There's also quite a bit of detail in setting out Lady Emily's expertise on plants, while her lover Luca's language is that of a hopeless romantic. Nicely paced and with enough closure to make for a satisfying short story.

On a side note: clean romance fans rejoice! These punks know how to keep their steam to themselves for once. Also: 50% of the Kindle book is this story, the rest being a sampler of the first book in the related Elemental Web series.

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tin Rose is a lovely short story that chronologically precedes the first full-length Elemental Web Chronicles book, The Golden Spider. While it can be read as a standalone, I think those who have read The Golden Spider would enjoy it more. The story is a “slice of life” from the night Lady Emily leaves her blue blood family to start her life with her gypsy lover Luca. Emily and Luca play a part in The Golden Spider, so readers of the series will have a greater connection to the pair, which helps because there is no world building or backstory included in Tin Rose.

I enjoy the Elemental Web Chronicles quite a lot, so Tin Rose was a quick enjoyable story for me. I loved learning more about Emily and Luca and seeing how they started their lives together.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to go back and see Luca and Emily getting together, as well as to get both of their perspectives. Having read the Golden Spider these characters are only seen through the eyes of Amanda and Thornton, without their own voices being added to the mix. Getting to read this gave new life to these two characters, as well as adding interest. I was rather irked at Luca for large portions of the Golden Spider, seeming more attached to the Roma lifestyle than to his wife, but here we get to see so much more than that. I actually recommend reading the Golden Spider first as in that order this adds more to it all and makes a lot more sense. Very good short.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unconventional lady and her gypsy engineer. This is a very short little read that's over before it feels completely begun, yet it packs a lot of emotion and devious twists into the plot. Like everything else I’ve read in the author’s world, it’s a clever blend of hard science and ‘what if’ that creates an immersive experience capable of dragging this reader under. Having skipped over the first book in The Elemental Web Chronicles, I wasn’t familiar with Emily and Luca. This has, however, reignited my desire to go back and finally read that missing volume. I look forward to many more adventures in this steampunk world.

[Kelsey Bedolli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read The Golden Spider first or this one will not make anywhere near as much sense. It can be read as a stand-alone, but it will be far less satisfying. Such is the nature of short stories in a series.

The action and drama are there, the character development relies heavily on The Golden Spider (plus this takes place over the course of one night, so really, how much opportunity could there possibly be), and its an interesting conflict. But it's also a little difficult to appreciate because without being given more backstory on our antagonist than a short story allows, there is a level of absurdity that's hard to get past.

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tin Rose is an exciting brief introduction to the Elemental Steampunk series. It is a short story, thick with danger. While the featured clockwork contraption is a rose, it really should be a, well, a clock, as you can practically hear it tick-tocking in the background. Time is running short for Emily to confront the villain and to find the cure. Emily and Luca actually fell in love before the story of The Tin Rose began, but it is a forbidden love, making the peril they are in all that much more complicated. A nicely told story in only 58 pages, you have no excuse to not check this one out. (Plus it is free on Amazon.)

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you mix a little Jules Verne with a little romantic suspense.Although the author wrote a tough act to follow with the first three books the prequel is a worthy successor, although even less Jules Verne and more romance. With every Steam-Punk book I read I become more hooked on the genre, even though each of the author’s subsequent books becomes more romance and less romantic suspense, I hope future books see her return to what was so successful in the first book. Now I just need some more of her books to read.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what I call a short and oh so sweet story. I just adore the world that Anne Renwick has created in this series and this story is no exception. In this one Lady Emily and Luca and racing to find a cure for a deadly poison. Readers were first introduced to these characters in “The Golden Spider” and they continue to delight. This story has romance and action, good and evil all in about 50 pages. Oh, and don’t forget all the cool steampunk contraptions. Short story perfection with this one!

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short tale, yet it has well-developed characters and I can see how it works as a prelude to the series. The first two chapters or so of the first book are tacked to the end of the Kindle edition and the connection between the two makes me want to read more of this author.

The only reason this took me so long to read is I had library books to finish first :-)

I don't recall gypsies being used as characters in any steampunk tales I have read, so this idea seems fresh to me and I look forward to the rest of the Elemental Web Chronicles.

[Shomeret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the aristocratic Emily who studied herbalism and loved a Roma man in The Golden Spider. So I was glad to read their story. The plot placed herbalism and their love at the center. I enjoyed reading it. I received a free copy of this story from the author.