Novella Review – The Damsel and the Daggerman (Blud, Book 2.5) by Delilah S. Dawson (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Length: 127 pages
Publisher: Pocket Star
Release Date: January 6, 2014
ASIN: B008QYC1KE
Stand Alone or Series: 2.5th book in the Blud series
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Bad boy knife-thrower Marco Taresque is the hottest and most dangerous performer in the caravan. He keeps to himself until a pesky female journalist arrives, anxious to interview him about his checkered past—his last assistant disappeared under mysterious and bloody circumstances, earning him the nickname “The Deadly Daggerman.”

Unsinkable journalist and adventurer Jacinda Harville doesn’t take no for an answer, and she’s determined to wear down Marco no matter how threatening—or incredibly desirable—he might appear. He agrees to an interview—but only if she’ll let him strap her to a spinning table and throw knives at her body. How can she say no? And how can she resist him when he leans close for a kiss that strikes her more sharply than any blade? It’s the first time she’s let a man get the better of her, and she’s determined it will be the last…

Just when she thinks she can’t take any more of his games, Jacinda receives a note from Marco saying he’s finally ready to tell her the truth about what happened to his missing assistant. She sets out for an address miles away, but what she finds there turns the tables on everything she thought she knew about the tender lover who wears a smile as sharp as his knives.

As secrets are unraveled and passions take hold, Jacinda realizes her hard heart has melted. But will it be too late to save Marco—and herself—from the daggerman’s dangerous past?”

This was a fun novella set in the Blud world. I enjoyed the characters and the story. I love revisiting Criminy Stain’s circus (although he isn’t in the story all that much). There isn’t a ton of plot here; this is mostly a love story with a circus theme to it, some steampunk elements, and a mystery.

Overall I would recommend to fans of the Blud series. I have a couple more of these novellas to read and really look forward to them. I actually like Dawson’s novellas better than her full length books (although I enjoy those too). These are fun little steampunk romance reads; I think this would stand alone fine as well.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– Pick Your Genre (Steampunk) Reading Challenge