Scales and Sensibility by Stephanie Burgis

Scales and Sensibility (Regency Dragons, #1)

by Stephanie Burgis

Sensible, practical Elinor Tregarth really did plan to be the model poor relation when she moved into Hathergill Hall. She certainly never meant to kidnap her awful cousin Penelope's pet dragon. She never expected to fall in love with the shameless - but surprisingly sweet - fortune hunter who came to court Penelope. And she never dreamed that she would have to enter into an outrageous magical charade to save her younger sisters' futures.



However, even the most brilliant scholars of 1817 England still haven't ferreted out all the lurking secrets of rediscovered dragonkind...and even the most sensible of heroines can still make a reckless wish or two when she's pushed. Now Elinor will have to find out just how rash and resourceful she can be when she sets aside all common sense. Maybe, just maybe, she'll even be impractical enough to win her own true love and a happily ever after...with the unpredictable and dangerous "help" of the magical creature who has adopted her.

A frothy Regency rom-com full of pet dragons and magical misadventures, Scales and Sensibility is a full-length novel and the first in a new series of standalone romantic comedies.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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Have you ever found yourself reading Sense and Sensibility and wishing that there were more fantasy elements woven into the story? Well, good news! Following recent trends, Scales and Sensibility, written by Stephanie Burgins, incorporates dragons into this classic Jane Austen story.

Elinor Tregarth really did try. She wanted to be a helpful cousin to Penelope, especially as her family was kind enough to take her in. She was even willing to put up with Penelope's wild outbursts. However, she drew the line at watching Penelope mistreat her pets.

Though even then, she didn't mean to just walk away with the poor little dragon. Bu the was just so scared. Now, Elinor faces a surprise courtship, several trials, and the weight of her sister's well-being on her shoulders.

"It was a truth universally acknowledged that any young lady without a dragon was doomed to social failure."

Right, so I knew right away that I had to read Scales and Sensibility ASAP. Why? Because I adore both Jane Austen and dragons, and miraculously this novel somehow brings the two together. I never thought I would see the day when that happened!

As you can imagine, Scales and Sensibility is a bit of a romantic and comedy mixture. Much like its predecessor, there's a lot of Victorian chaos and drama, which leads to, you guessed it, more drama! And that's before taking the cute little dragons into account.

I'll admit that I adore the idea of Victorian-era people trying to turn little dragons into fashion accessories. Given that's how many people treat small animals, it holds. Just with these guys, there happens to be a bit of a stinkier mess when they get scared. Again, that sounds about right.

Scales and Sensibility is such a fun read; I sat down and read through it all in one sitting. I have no regrets on that matter; I can promise you this much! And you better believe that I'm going to be watching out for the sequel (Claws and Contrivances).

Thanks to Five Fathoms Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 22 November, 2021: Finished reading
  • 22 November, 2021: Reviewed