Coleen Kwan

I'm happy about the reviews I've been getting for Darke London. Of course, it's impossible to please everyone, and negative reviews are part of every author's life, but so far the reviews for my latest book have been generally positive.

RT Book Reviews gave it 4 stars. "Internal and external struggles collide as the protagonists wrestle with personal demons and clash with common enemies."


Library Journal Reviews said "A dash of steampunk with a taste of lust makes this an intriguing tale, perfect for historical romance readers. The romance is sexy but not overbearing or crude; a perfect weekend read for the thrill-seeker."


Maldivian Book Reviewer wrote "...Darke London served to be a delectable read. Julian proved to a refreshingly delicious and appealing hero of the variety that had me sighing over his character every now and then. Nellie was just as an appealing heroine, someone who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants and never afraid to fight for the man she wants."


Belinda Williams said "It was an original read, infused with mystery, suspense, romance and passion – it was a ride I was loathe to get off once I reached the end."


Red Hot Books concluded "Overall, I liked it quite a bit and I read it beginning to end without putting it down.  If you like gothic London or a scarred hero/heroine, I’d say give it try."


Talk Supe described it as "...a relatively short historical romance novel with a well-drawn mystery that will keep readers engaged."


Here's hoping the positive reviews keep coming:)

Woo hoo! DARKE LONDON is now out! Discounted at Samhain Publishing for a short time.


The only way to save her life is to resurrect the dead…

Julian Darke was only a newborn when he was abandoned on the doorstep of a gentleman doctor. Though raised with love, he is driven to discover his true origins.

Convinced Sir Thaddeus Ormond knows something, Julian shadows him one night—and is shocked to see a young woman thrown from Ormond’s carriage and accosted by a thug. Julian manages to save her life, but not her face and hands from horrific injuries.

Nellie Barchester doesn’t recognize the scarred, disfigured stranger in the mirror. Though the gifted doctor and engineer has done his best to repair the damage, scars ravage her body, and chill her soul with the realization that her own husband may have plotted her death.

Julian’s tenderness is a balm to her soul, and Nellie is drawn to the edge of passion by a man not repelled by her deformities. But as their pursuit of the truth draws them into London’s underbelly, they cross the path of a ruthless enemy who will stop at nothing to fulfill his schemes.

Warning: Can a brilliant but troubled doctor find happiness with a woman scarred both inside and out? A hint of the supernatural plus a night of passion spice up this Uncanny Chronicle.

Available at Samhain Publishing, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iTunes, Amazon UK.


"A dash of steampunk with a taste of lust makes this an intriguing tale" Library Journal

"There's a gothic feel to book one of the Uncanny Chronicles" RT Book Reviews

"A delectable read...Recommended to fans of historical romantic suspense with a dash of steampunk in it." Maldivian Book Reviewer

The winner of my Three Wishes Blog Blitz is MICHELLE VAN SCHOUWEN!

Michelle, I have sent you a message through Google+. (Or contact me via the contact form of this site.)

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left comments. Special thanks to Juliet Madison for organising the Blog Blitz to celebrate her new release 'I Dream of Johnny'.

Today I’m participating in the Three Wishes Blog Blitz, hosted by author Juliet Madison! From 2nd to 6th September you’ll have the chance to win some awesome prizes at all the blogs participating in the blitz, including mine. All you have to do is follow my instructions below for winning the prize I have on offer, and then you can click over to Juliet’s blog to enter her prize draw, and see the list of all other blogs taking part and enter their giveaways as well. How cool is that? Why is it called the Three Wishes Blog Blitz? Juliet’s new  romantic comedy release, I Dream of Johnny, is about three wishes, a high-tech genie in a lamp, and one very unfortunate typo that proves magic isn’t all it cracked up to be…

I’m writing this post in my kitchen. As I look around me at the wonky door that won’t close properly, the cobwebs in the ceiling corners, and the packet of Tim Tams on the kitchen counter, I can think of lots of things to wish for. I wish I had one of those gorgeous French Provencale kitchens with limed wood cabinets and copper pots and herb gardens. I wish I was a more diligent housekeeper, or, better yet, I could afford to hire a housekeeper. I wish I could resist those Tim Tams and have less pimples and more muscle tone. There, that’s three wishes already, and I haven’t even scratched the surface.

But if those three wishes were magically fulfilled, I can guarantee that I’d instantly think of three more. It’s the human condition to never be satisfied. And so, rather than waste three wishes on myself, I would rather use them on others. Not on family or friends or world leaders, but rather on the fictional characters that are created out of thin air and exist only in our imaginations but become real to so many readers and viewers. Which fictional characters would I chose and what would I wish for them?

• The Great Gatsby. Stay in the Midwest, Jay Gatsby, and marry a nice girl.
• Game of Thrones. More nous for Eddard Stark! He might have kept his head, then.
• Batman. I wish they’d stop making Batman movies. Let the Caped Crusader remain in print.

So if you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

Now for my giveaway! I’m giving away one digital copy of my new release, DARKE LONDON, which comes out 10 September. This giveaway is international. To go into the draw please leave a comment on this blog post about what you’d wish for either for yourself or a fictional character. Entries close on Friday 6 September.



DARKE LONDON is my new historical romance with supernatural and steampunk elements.

The only way to save her life is to resurrect the dead…

Julian Darke was only a newborn when he was abandoned on the doorstep of a gentleman doctor. Though raised with love, he is driven to discover his true origins.

Convinced Sir Thaddeus Ormond knows something, Julian shadows him one night—and is shocked to see a young woman thrown from Ormond’s carriage and accosted by a thug. Julian manages to save her life, but not her face and hands from horrific injuries.

Nellie Barchester doesn’t recognize the scarred, disfigured stranger in the mirror. Though the gifted doctor and engineer has done his best to repair the damage, scars ravage her body, and chill her soul with the realization that her own husband may have plotted her death.

Julian’s tenderness is a balm to her soul, and Nellie is drawn to the edge of passion by a man not repelled by her deformities. But as their pursuit of the truth draws them into London’s underbelly, they cross the path of a ruthless enemy who will stop at nothing to fulfill his schemes.

Warning: Can a brilliant but troubled doctor find happiness with a woman scarred both inside and out? A hint of the supernatural plus a night of passion spice up this Uncanny Chronicle.


Once you’ve entered my giveaway, visit Juliet’s blog and enter her giveaway too, and visit any or all of the other participating blogs to enter more prize draws. You could potentially win a whole heap of prizes! Good luck! Visit the official Blog Blitz post here