Steampunk Novel - TOUCH OF STEEL

TOUCH OF STEEL
A Novel of the Clockwork Agents
Kate Cross
Signet Eclipse
ISBN:  0-451-23882-5
December 2012
Steam Punk - Romance

The second in Kate Cross’s Clockwork Agents series, TOUCH OF STEEL resumes the series several months after the events of HEART OF BRASS.  Determined to avenge her brother’s death, Company agent Claire Brooks is shot when pursuing the murder, Stanton Howard.  Captured by the Wardens of the Realm (W.O.R.), Claire eagerly agrees to cooperate with the W.O.R. in order to continue her pursuit, although she knows that the betrayal she has planned will ensure her death from either agency.  Disgusted from his own prior experiences with double-crossing women, the Earl of Wolfred, Alastair Payne, is a W.O.R. agent determined to keep Claire from negatively impacting the newly-rebuilt marriage of Lucas and Arden Grey.  Alastair expects Claire to betray their agreement, but neither of the two can be prepared for the attraction that flares between them.

If steam punk is a genre you enjoy, then Cross’s Clockwork Agents series is a wonderful addition to your collection.  While the technology that made the first book so engaging is less obvious, TOUCH OF STEEL is full of espionage, danger, and forbidden romance.  Claire’s American background, alias, and determination make her a very interesting character, and Alastair’s own English background leads for a lot of natural conflict.  With diverse characters and settings, TOUCH OF STEEL is an unexpected adventure that will keep you hooked!

Reviewed by Angela Etheridge
Rating: 4