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The Prince’s Pilot by Shelley Adina

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4.0

Really enjoyed this second installment in The Regent’s Devices series! The Prince’s Pilot starts right where The Emperor’s Aeronaut left off with plenty of intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance. This “PrinnyPunk” is the perfect combination of Regency and steampunk. It’s a great series I can definitely recommend to YA audiences 12 and up.

Eager to prove their airship is worthy of the Tinkering Prince’s prize, Celeste and Loveday take to the skies for a test run accompanied by Capt. Trevelyan and Emory Thorndyke. Their flight unfortunately goes way off course and lands them in enemy territory in France. The men stay behind to guard the damaged ship while the women leave for Paris to obtain the necessary supplies to fix it. However, things have changed since Celeste left France; her mother has died under suspicious circumstances and her beloved aeronaut school is closed down.

Celeste has no choice but to approach Napoleon who promptly names her his new Chief Air Minister and tasks her with planning an English invasion. Navigating court politics is full of danger with plenty of intrigue and spies. Guarded by a female bodyguard 24/7, Celeste and Loveday must use all their ingenuity to find a way to get the parts and information they need and escape before they’re caught.

I was delighted to find that this second book was even better than the first. Once the friends arrive in France, the action really picks up. Celeste and Loveday are constantly being watched, and with other Ministers disappearing and cutthroat men working under them, the suspense intensifies. At first, I was worried when the couples split up that I wouldn’t enjoy the story as much, but found that both parties had interesting and vital experiences so that when they meet again, it’s an enjoyable reunion and the action ratchets up even more.

I enjoyed the steampunk alternative Regency world and the various inventions and devices. I liked the budding romance between the couples and the well written friendships. I’m excited to see how these relationships continue to grow.

The book ends with several unanswered questions and I can’t wait for the third book in the series! This could be read as a standalone, but highly recommend reading the first book to really appreciate the characters and somewhat complicated plot. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.