Esme doesn’t only believe in women’s rights, she’s also a secessionist who believes Western Australia would be better off being independent rather than joining the federation of the eastern states, and her views are only strengthened when an arrogant and wealthy easterner begins to court her with an eye to marriage and her generous dowry.

I really enjoyed the depictions of daily life in the Swan River colony, including the exotic-sounding Bombaytown. As befits a steampunk story, inventions pop up everywhere — coffee makers, solar-powered stoves, etc.  Esme makes a charming and spirited heroine, independent yet caring, and proactive in opposing the inequalities she comes across in her daily life. Jed Reeve is a great hero who perhaps at times could be more of the scoundrel he purports to be. The romance between these two blossoms at a smart pace, helped along the way by admirers on either side plus the odd dash of heroics. Towards the end the story takes an unexpected twist which I definitely wasn’t expecting, and the final showdown is suitably satisfying.

If you’re looking for an Australian historical romance with a steampunk aesthetic, then you’ll definitely enjoy Wanted: One Scoundrel.

Publisher: Carina Press
Length:  26,000 words