Review - The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance (Blud #1.6) by Delilah S. Dawson

I've definitely become a huge fan of the Blud series by Delilah Dawson and look forward to each release impatiently. In each story, Wicked as They Come, The Mysterious Madam Morpho, The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance, and Wicked as She Wants, the series becomes that much harder to put down in order to read something else. Each book focuses on new and interesting characters like Criminay Stain, Tish Everett, Madam Morpho, Mr. Murdoch, Casper Sterling, and Freesian Blud Princess Ahnastasia Feodor. 

The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance is a short story about Frannie Pleasance who owns a pet shop called Needful Creatures and just happens to discover Casper Sterling lying unconscious in the streets and takes him in. If you've read Wicked as They Come, you know that Sang is filled with Bludman, Pinkies (Humans) and Blud rabbits, rats, and even kittens who live side by side.

In WATC, you were introduced to Casper Sterling aka The Maestro who came to SangLand as a Stranger and never went back. If you haven't read that book, please go back and read it first before trying to read the short stories for which there are currently two with another, The Three Lives of Lydia, that was just released as part of Carniepunk. 

Frannie, who caterers to those who want everything from puppies, to kittens, to parrots and other domesticated pets in a London, takes a chance by letting Casper stay in a spare bedroom which leads to some strange incidents happening including her shop catching on fire, and a question as to why anyone would want to harm Frannie who is a genuinely sweet and an adorable person who wouldn't harm anyone let alone a blud kitty who is trying to chew on her ankles. 

When Frannie's pet shop catches on fire, the mysterious & debonair Thom Maccallan, who just happens to be Scottish and wears a KILT, arrives on the scene and quickly finds his way into Frannie's life and her heart. The romance between Thom and Frannie slowly builds to a crescendo, and no, there is no 3 way love triangle with Casper as the third wheel. Casper is pretty much as we expect him to be. He's a rake, and a charmer, but he has some severe personal issues that makes him unattractive to women like Frannie.

I'm sure that Blud series veterans will find this short story absolutely worth your time and effort to read. It's probably a good idea to read these books and short stories as they are released so that the story line stays continuous and you don't miss out on interesting characters and a world that is truly unusual for a steampunk driven series. 

Author - Delilah Dawson
Title - The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance
Publisher - Pocket Star
Released - April 1, 2013
Genre - Steampunk, Romance