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Violet and the Bow Street Runner: A Baleful Godmother Novel (Garland Cousins) Paperback – February 20, 2022
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Violet Garland may be a duke’s daughter, but she has a strong streak of daredevil. What she wants most in life is adventure—and when she spots a Bow Street Runner among the ton, she knows she’s finally found it. She’ll help the investigator track down his villain, whether he wishes her to or not!
Bow Street Principal Officer Periander Wintersmith does not want any assistance, especially from a female as persistent and annoying as Lady Violet Garland. Although Lady Violet does possess a most uncommon talent and she is exceptionally good at following people…
Perhaps he ought to accept her offer of help? Together they might be able to unravel a rather perplexing mystery—and Perry may just avoid falling off any roofs.
Take one adventure-seeking duke’s daughter, one solitary Bow Street Runner, a strange series of thefts, a dash of magic, a sprinkling of naughty drawings, and what do you have? A romp of a Regency romance that will sweep you through London’s alleyways and over its rooftops, with detours into cupboards, attics, bandboxes, and ballrooms!
Length: Full-length novel of 99,000 words
Sensuality level: A Regency romance with steamy love scenes
Violet and the Bow Street Runner is the second novel in the award-winning Garland Cousins series by USA Today bestselling author Emily Larkin. It can be read as a standalone.
If you love wildly entertaining, emotional, and heartwarming historical romances that will keep you reading all night long, then this novel is for you.
Be swept into a Regency England brimming with passion and adventure, magic and love. Start this addictive series today!
BOOKS IN THE BALEFUL GODMOTHER SERIES:
Original Series
Unmasking Miss Appleby
Resisting Miss Merryweather
Trusting Miss Trentham
Claiming Mister Kemp
Ruining Miss Wrotham
Discovering Miss Dalrymple
Garland Cousins Series
Primrose and the Dreadful Duke
Violet and the Bow Street Runner
Pryor Cousins Series
Octavius and the Perfect Governess
Decimus and the Wary Widow
- Print length400 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateFebruary 20, 2022
- Dimensions5.06 x 1 x 7.81 inches
- ISBN-100995143641
- ISBN-13978-0995143647
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"It's just gone half six in the morning and I've read through the night. It was impossible to put down my kindle."
Goodreads reviewer
"Violet! I adore, adore, adore her. I love how she pushes her way into Perry's investigation and his heart. This book brought me a lot of joy."
Goodreads reviewer
"The characters are bright, funny, entertaining, smart, and serious, and they'll make you laugh out loud. You could feel the chemistry between Perry and Violet coming right off the page."
Goodreads reviewer
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Emily Larkin
- Publication date : February 20, 2022
- Language : English
- Print length : 400 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0995143641
- ISBN-13 : 978-0995143647
- Item Weight : 13.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.06 x 1 x 7.81 inches
- Book 2 of 2 : Garland Cousins
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,035,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5,981 in Regency Romances
- #6,979 in Historical Fantasy (Books)
- #23,062 in Romantic Fantasy (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Emily Larkin is the award-winning and USA Today-bestselling author of the Baleful Godmother historical romance series, a series that readers are calling “sexy, unusual and vastly entertaining,” and "ridiculously wonderful."
When not reading or writing, Emily can be found hiking—preferably somewhere off the beaten track. She loves to travel, and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe and North America, and traveled overland in the Middle East, China, and North Africa. Her varied career includes stints as a field assistant in Antarctica and a waitress on the Isle of Skye.
Emily writes historical romances as Emily Larkin and fantasy novels as Emily Gee. She has won multiple awards in New Zealand and Australia and has been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America RITA award, as well as the National Readers Choice, Booksellers Best, and Sir Julius Vogel awards.
Sign up for her newsletter to get an email whenever she has a new release or discounts a book → www.emilylarkin.com/newsletter
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Customers enjoy the mystery content of the book, with one mentioning its happy twists in the storyline. Customers find the book highly entertaining.
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Customers enjoy the mystery content of the book, with one mentioning its happy twists and another noting how it draws them into the story.
"...I loved every minute spent reading this book, it was the perfect story to remind me why I loved this author, why when I read my first book from her “..." Read more
"This story was so fun, with a perfect amount of mystery and delightful discovery. A hero/heroine combo that are perfect together...." Read more
"...And so begins an adventure that combines romance, mystery, magic, and LOTS of humor...." Read more
"...And she wants in on the action. This was a great mystery. Loved how it turned out. Loved Violet's match, a man of honor and adventure...." Read more
Customers find the book highly entertaining, with one describing it as a real page turner.
"...And I am glad I did. I loved every minute spent reading this book, it was the perfect story to remind me why I loved this author, why when I..." Read more
"...I particularly loved the last chapter of this book, with the entire family. Great ending!!" Read more
"...The Baleful Godmother series is well worth reading. I highly recommend this latest in the series as well as the entire set." Read more
"It is a real page turner" Read more
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Not so bland …
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2023Format: KindleVerified Purchase🦸🏻♀️Violet and the Bow Street Runner 🔎
A Baleful Godmother Novel
Garland Cousins Book 2
✒️ Emily Larkin
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I know I am not only three days late to provide my review, I am, in fact, a year and a half late.
I have had this book languishing on my shelves since its release day.
Why in fact I applied for the arc, to oblige too-busy-me to read it.
And I am glad I did.
I loved every minute spent reading this book, it was the perfect story to remind me why I loved this author, why when I read my first book from her “Unmasking Miss Appleby” I became obsessed with her work and read everything available at that time.
Since I lost myself in the bottomless well of arcs reading and left sadly behind some of the authors who reawakened my love for historical romance. Emily Larkin is one of those.
And while her stories have a paranormal side, they still follow society’s rules and conventions.
Violet is everything a ton Lady should never be, brazen, willful, determined, stubborn, and reckless. The gift she asked for on her 23rd birthday illustrates her wild character. She is no meek ton miss, she goes after what she wants and is not afraid to state and own it.
And while my memory might fail me, I do believe this is the first time the couple can enjoy and share a Baleful’s gift.
Which was part of the entertainment of Violet’s adventure. She has met someone who stands to her toes to toes, who disagrees with her but is also ready to jump into the void, trusting her to do the right thing.
Perry has learned to blend into the wall, when the world, he as had known it, has been shattered, he had to reshape himself into a new man, then only lose even more afterward, why he had to give himself the means to continue forward. To “create” his new family. So when he altered once more the course of his life to return to his birthplace, to only say goodbye to get the last piece holding him back to his past, he sees nothing there to make him want to stay. Even a gorgeous hotheaded demanding and kind of domineering lady. As while infuriating and entrancing him, he believes it is proof of how different their worlds are from one another.
From their common investigation to each learning to know the other for someone else than their first impressions, no, Perry is not bland nor forgettable as Violet is not flighty nor spoiled.
They are each other perfect balance as he quiets her recklessness and she adds spices to his routine.
5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes
🦸🏻♀️Violet and the Bow Street Runner 🔎
A Baleful Godmother Novel
Garland Cousins Book 2
✒️ Emily Larkin
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I know I am not only three days late to provide my review, I am, in fact, a year and a half late.
I have had this book languishing on my shelves since its release day.
Why in fact I applied for the arc, to oblige too-busy-me to read it.
And I am glad I did.
I loved every minute spent reading this book, it was the perfect story to remind me why I loved this author, why when I read my first book from her “Unmasking Miss Appleby” I became obsessed with her work and read everything available at that time.
Since I lost myself in the bottomless well of arcs reading and left sadly behind some of the authors who reawakened my love for historical romance. Emily Larkin is one of those.
And while her stories have a paranormal side, they still follow society’s rules and conventions.
Violet is everything a ton Lady should never be, brazen, willful, determined, stubborn, and reckless. The gift she asked for on her 23rd birthday illustrates her wild character. She is no meek ton miss, she goes after what she wants and is not afraid to state and own it.
And while my memory might fail me, I do believe this is the first time the couple can enjoy and share a Baleful’s gift.
Which was part of the entertainment of Violet’s adventure. She has met someone who stands to her toes to toes, who disagrees with her but is also ready to jump into the void, trusting her to do the right thing.
Perry has learned to blend into the wall, when the world, he as had known it, has been shattered, he had to reshape himself into a new man, then only lose even more afterward, why he had to give himself the means to continue forward. To “create” his new family. So when he altered once more the course of his life to return to his birthplace, to only say goodbye to get the last piece holding him back to his past, he sees nothing there to make him want to stay. Even a gorgeous hotheaded demanding and kind of domineering lady. As while infuriating and entrancing him, he believes it is proof of how different their worlds are from one another.
From their common investigation to each learning to know the other for someone else than their first impressions, no, Perry is not bland nor forgettable as Violet is not flighty nor spoiled.
They are each other perfect balance as he quiets her recklessness and she adds spices to his routine.
5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThis story was so fun, with a perfect amount of mystery and delightful discovery. A hero/heroine combo that are perfect together. A self absorbed, sociopathic heir that brings about his own downfall.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseLady Violet Garland received the gift of flight from her Faery Godmother and for two years has flown over lakes, villages, and the streets of London without being seen. But, being insatiably curious, she follows a man who seems to be following another man and wants to know "why?" Coming too close to investigate, she is caught and pulled down and is surprised to find that the man is a Bow Street runner on an case. Of course, being Violet, she wants to help. And so begins an adventure that combines romance, mystery, magic, and LOTS of humor. Violet and her Bow Street Runner, Perry, will charm you and make you wish that you, too, could fly. I HIGHLY recommend this book!
Sexual content may offend some readers.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseViolet is adventuresome and a bit of a dare devil. At 23, in this Recency romance, she could be considered on the shelf except that she is rich and the daughter of a duke. That makes her highly desirable. Fortunately, her family allows her the time to find a love match. What she finds is a mystery! And she wants in on the action. This was a great mystery. Loved how it turned out. Loved Violet's match, a man of honor and adventure. I am loving these recency romances with a touch of the paranormal.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseMan, that was a really really good book. I love Ms. Larkin’s writing style. It’s so effortless and draws me into the story and absorbs me more than most any other author. I particularly loved the last chapter of this book, with the entire family. Great ending!!
- Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseAnother highly entertaining read from Emily Larkin. The Baleful Godmother series is well worth reading. I highly recommend this latest in the series as well as the entire set.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2022Format: KindleEmily Larkin's books are wonderful, and Violet's (and Perry's!) story is no different. If anything, it's a bit softer, a bit gentler (even if I wish with all my heart Evelyn was still alive...), with a lot of joy and beauty.
This is a tangent, but I feel it captures the spirit of the story so wholly in a way: Violet's older brother is a widower, and the story is filled with instances where he's with his kids and taking care of them and having fun with them and it's both heartbreaking (why is Mama dead?!) and so warming to see. Yes, I'm not a fan of "I'm a widower and without my wife I've fallen entirely apart and my kids are in tatters like my life is and I need another woman to show up to put us back together again" stories.
Anyway!
Violet!
I adore, adore, adore her. I love how she pushes her way into Perry's investigation and his heart. Emily strikes the perfect balance where Violet is a bit rash at times, but you can see it's because she's too confident in her abilities, and not too unaware of danger. I have to admit I loved seeing Violet lawyering her way around things: "I promised you I wouldn't use a hot air balloon to get around, and I didn't ... I'm flying."
I particularly enjoyed how, as the story unfolded, you can see Perry shifting and growing. There's some of that "ugh, she's so much richer, what do" in there, but I think it's not more than necessary, and it's entirely saved by the rest of Violet's family being amazing. I'm sorry, I know it's a romance, and I sound like the entire reason I'm so recommending it is because of FAMILY FEELS but...on the other hand, is that really unreasonable?
Violet is looking for someone to anchor her while giving her the sky. Perry...can I just say I adore how Violet is the one to take Perry flying and not the other way around? In a way, I feel that encapsulates what is most beautiful about their love - that they give each other that space, and capability.
Top reviews from other countries
- Alison10Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars A Charming Page Turner
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThis a delightful book, which I have already read twice. Both main characters, Violet and Perry, are easy to take to your heart, and it is very difficult to put the book down. Many hours have been 'wasted' determined to keep going until the end!
The book is very well written, which is one of the joys of reading Emily Larkin. I would strongly recommend this story to those who like a historical mystery romance.
- Clare McQuinReviewed in Australia on February 23, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, at last. Well worth the wait!
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseInteresting new characters and a few returning friends continuing Ms Larkin's Baleful Godmother series, the Garland sub series, gives her readers a slightly different perspective on the gift of flight and how the recipient employs it. Previous novels merely include it as a means of travel; this one develops the ability and uses it to enhance both the 2 main characters. I also enjoyed the development of the hero from Mr Bland to being a fitting mate for Violet. And Ms Larkin's sense of the era in which the action takes place. Superb as usual. Thank you.
- Avid ReaderReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2022
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written and heart-warming
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseAnother beautifully written romance from Emily Larkin - the period details are vivid and the central romance tugs at the heart-strings. Love the supernatural twist that's incorporated so deftly it's unobtrusive. Would advise anyone to do themselves a favour and track down all of this author's work - it's a consistent joy.
- JMTReviewed in Australia on March 1, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Emily Always Impresses
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseI was so excited to get the email that this book was ready to read. I’ve read every one of Emily Larkin’s novels and love, love, love the combination of magic, romance and history. This book did not disappoint! Emily has a refreshing turn of phrase, a wonderful whimsy and a deliciously, romantic HEA that never fails to bring a tear to my eye. I’m inspired to go back and read all the books again, some for the third time!
- Anne MammyReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseI have read most of Ms Larkin's Baleful Godmother books and once you get beyond the magic elements, the stories are entertaining. I suppose being able to fly is slightly less fanciful than being able to become invisible or turning into a small bird. However, I am not sure the physics add up, nor that a harness would help . Well, not for our rational minds to worry. I very much like the mixture between utter innocence, curiosity and no nonsense approach to intercourse which is depicted here. Perry is very perceptive and indeed he and Violet are well matched , one safe cautious approach to life offsetting the other's more reckless and spontaneous mindset.
So, are we now going to follow Rhodes - he so deserves more happiness, or will we look at Aster ; I wonder what gift she chose from her Faery Godmother. Whatever comes, I shall be interested to read it.