I don't even know where to begin with this book. First I will say that prior to reading Touch of Steel, I had not read anything in the Steampunk genre before. Secondly, why haven't I? Yeah, I loved this book. For real. I love the mix of modern with historical. Kate Cross created a world that felt real to me. Not only did she create this wonderful fantastical world, but she created a group of characters that I was really taken with and I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen with everyone.
Claire Brooks is a spy on a mission. She is out to kill the man that she feels is responsible for the death of her beloved brother Robert. She almost succeeds when she is injured and then captured by the Wardens, a rival spy group. When she makes a deal with the Wardens that she will give up any secrets of the Company's (the spy group she works for) in exchange for her release to enact vengeance on her brother, she is in turn placed into the custody of Alistair Payne one of the Wardens top spies.
Alistair wants nothing to do with Claire Brooks. There is something about her he doesn't trust. He knows she is hiding something and he's bound to find out what it is. Yet, he made a promise that he would escort her to find the man responsible not only for the death of her brother, but the man responsible for his best friend Lucas's memory loss. Even though Alistair and Claire dislike each other immensely both can't help but find the other attractive. Though beyond a small kiss, neither acts on the growing attraction.
Slowly but surely the farther along in their travels they get the harder they are finding it to resist one another. Both find that they really can't trust the other, especially in the case of Alistair with Claire. Alistair has been burned and deceived by women in his past so it's even harder for him to let Claire in. Yet, even though he can't really trust her he is quickly realizing that he just might not care.
As for Claire she's realizing the more time she spends with Alistair the more she is growing to like and appreciate him. In a different world he would be the man she would want to marry but here and now, with her future looking all but non existent, she knows that she must keep focused on her mission, you take down the man who killed her brother.
I can't say how much I enjoyed this book. The action, adventure, the romance, it was all so very good. Kate Cross crafted a winner with Touch of Steel and I very much it enjoyed it. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in her Clockwork Agents series. If it's half as good as Touch of Steel was I know I'm in for a treat.
**ARC provided by Author**
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