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G. L. Carriger
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Meat Cute: The Hedgehog Incident Kindle Edition

by Gail Carriger (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,112 ratings
See all formats and editions
From the comedic mind of New York Times bestseller Gail Carriger comes the much requested prequel short story to Soulless.

Alexia Tarabotti attends what appears to be a very dull London party, until the new werewolf Alpha turns up, is unconscionably rude to her, and sits on a hedgehog.

Don't miss this charming novelette featuring the very first encounter between the Parasolverse's most popular power couple, preternatural Alexia and supernatural Lord Conall Maccon.

Look out for cheeky appearances from other much beloved characters, not to mention the strategic application of a certain wicker chicken.

"This intoxicatingly witty parody will appeal to a wide cross-section of romance, fantasy and steampunk fans." ~ Publishers Weekly, starred review (Soulless)

Alexia has been described as Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Jane Austen!

A Note On Chronology

Set in the spring of 1872 this story occurs just prior to events chronicled in The Parasol Protectorate series (featuring Alexia and Conall) and after those in Defy or Defend. Alexia also appears briefly in Romancing the Inventor, and Conall and England’s most scandalous wolf pack are referenced in The Finishing School series. Want more hot gruff werewolf gentlemen and practical tough ladies? Try How to Marry a Werewolf.

This is a quick read at 9000 words (about 15 printed pages) available in print only as part of Fan Service (collected Supernatural Society omnibus). It is best read if you are already familiar with Gail Carriger's gaslight universe and comedy of manners style, as it was written specifically with her fans in mind.


The Parasol Protectorate Series
  • Soulless
    Changeless
    Blameless
    Heartless
    Timeless


Also by Gail Carriger set in the Parasolverse
  • The Curious Case of the Werewolf that Wasn’t

    The Finishing School series (start with     Etiquette & Espionage)

    The Delightfully Deadly novellas

    The Parasol Protectorate series

    The Supernatural Society novellas

    The Custard Protocol series (start with     Prudence)

    The Claw & Courtship novellas (try     Defy or Defend)


As G L Carriger
  • The San Andreas Shifter series (start with The Sumage Solution)

    The 5th Gender
Previous page
  1. Print length
    49 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    February 16, 2020
  5. File size
    1956 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series beautifully blends together alternate history, steampunk and paranormal romance"into stories that are witty, engaging and fun."
~ Kirkus, starred review (Soulless)

This intoxicatingly witty parody will appeal to a wide cross-section of romance, fantasy and steampunk fans."
~ Publishers Weekly, starred review (Soulless)

"Carriger's leading lady is a strong, independent role model for female readers."
~ School Library, starred review (Soulless)

"Behind the delightful whimsy and snarky observations, there is a great deal of heart and soul..."
~ RT Book Reviews (Prudence)

"A character-driven romp with great world-building and delicious rapier wit that recalls Austen and P.G. Wodehouse."
~ io9.com (Soulless)

"....clever and amusing... a genre goulash of urban fantasy, historical fantasy and romance with a dash of steampunk for flavor... Soulless will please fans of fantasy, historical fantasy and paranormal romance alike."
~ Miami Herald

"...perhaps the most original twist on vampire and werewolf mythology to ever appear in the genre."
~ RobWillReview (Soulless)

From the Author

Dear Gentle Reader,

By popular request (nay, insistence) I present to you a brief chronicle of prickly events that have been not so subtly alluded to in previous works.

In other words, here is the hedgehog incident at long last. It's also in audiobook read by the lovely Emma Newman (what, you doubted me?)

Those who read this particular scribble and have no prior familiarity with the Parasol Protectorate series may find themselves adrift in a dirigible without a propeller, for which I apologize. It seems terribly autocratic to intimate that several novel-length volumes should be required as precursor to one diminutive novelette. But there you have it. I, like Alexia, have never played by the rules. You must thus consider yourself appropriately warned. Please also note that the following includes but is not limited to: disgruntled spinsters, rude werewolves, and a rather discombobulated hedgehog.

Yours, etc.,

Miss Gail

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B082M2KFMV
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ GAIL CARRIGER LLC; 2nd edition (February 16, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 16, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1956 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 49 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,112 ratings

About the authors

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Previous page
  1. G. L. Carriger

    G. L. Carriger

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Gail Carriger writes comedies of manners mixed with paranormal romance (and sexy urban fantasy as G.L. Carriger). Her steampunk books include the Parasol Protectorate, Custard Protocol, Supernatural Society, and Delightfully Deadly series for adults, and the Finishing School series for young adults. She is published in many languages and has over a dozen NYT bestsellers. She was once an archaeologist and is overly fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Gail Carriger

    Gail Carriger

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Gail Carriger writes comedies of manners mixed with paranormal romance (and sexy urban fantasy as G. L. Carriger). Her steampunk books include the Parasol Protectorate, Custard Protocol, Supernatural Society, and Delightfully Deadly series for adults, and the Finishing School series for young adults. She is published in many languages and has over a dozen NYT bestsellers. She was once an archaeologist and is overly fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea. gailcarriger.com

    Subscribe to Gail's newsletter ~ The Chirrup! http://gailcarriger.com/chirrup

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,112 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Bubblegum
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for lovers of the Parasol Protectorate!
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
I loooved this little novella!

It’s the story of the first meeting between Alexia Tarabotti – preternatural – and Lord Conall Maccon – werewolf Alpha of the London pack. It’s delicious and hilarious, and even covered some of the overlap with the Finishing School series.

The hedgehog incident has been mentioned previously in the PP-series and I was delighted to read the details now. Apart from hedgehogs, there’s also a grumpy and accidentally naked werewolf, and of course our heroine Alexia who gets an eyeful of well-muscled werewolf buttocks.

This story has actually been sitting in my Kindle for a year, but I didn’t get around to read until now. But OMG what a Carriger-craving it instigated! It kicked off a re-reading binge of the Parasol Protectorate series so I’m now gorging myself on Carriger’s steam-punk universe.

I loooove everything Alexia and Conall. And I just want to recommend anyone who enjoys alternative, historical steam-punk, shifters, vampires and dry humour to read about them. They’re so awesome!
4 people found this helpful
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Pamela
4.0 out of 5 stars Extremely cute retelling of how Alexia met the head werewolf
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2021
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I'm still a little confused by what exactly happened, but there are mentions of the first time that the hero and heroine of Gail's Soulless series met. This story fleshes that out a little more. She gets involved in a challenge between werewolves.
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Sincerelyink
5.0 out of 5 stars Short, sweet, and a bit prickly-with no treacle in sight
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2020
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The poor hedgehog. He has been alluded to for years and as a catalyst for one of the most historic meetings he does receive rather short shrift. Danger to his pudgy little body starts a romance of the ages, whether by his own capacity or through the schemes of another. And a highly entertaining start it is.
Yes, the story is short. Hence it is called a "short story". I am sure that those who have complained in the reviews missed that fact. Would we all have loved it to be longer? Indubitably. But this taste of the mammalian precursor to the romance of Conall and Alexis was never designed to be a full novel, just a short taste of delights to come in the Parasol Protectorate novels by Miss Carriger. If it was too short for your tastes, it must be time to start rereading the original source materials!
5 people found this helpful
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MarniH
5.0 out of 5 stars Just perfect
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2023
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I love Gail’s writing - the humor, the feeling and how characters are tied together so we’ll. The whole series is fantastic!
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Kelly Rubidoux
5.0 out of 5 stars A Reading the Paranormal Review
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2020
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Heh. I always get a kick out of Alexia and Conall butting heads (it only gets funnier the longer and more involved they get), so I thoroughly enjoyed getting to experience their first encounter. You know, where Conall is shockingly blunt and Alexia is understandably unswayed by his charms. Or so it seems.

A little skulduggery, a practical application of a hedgehog, surprisingly large and sometimes brutal werewolves, and one preternatural who's become used to being overlooked. MAN, I like these two and their motley (excluding Lyall, of course) crew (both known and those skulking behind the scenes). *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
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LG-3K1C
3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed- much too short.
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
'The Hedgehog Incident' is briefly mentioned in one of the early books the Parasol Protectorate series, but you never hear any details about it- this short work fills in the blanks. It was a nice glimpse into Alexia and Connall's first meeting (and a nod at The Finishing School books), but it was much too short to be really satisfying. The last 30% of the Kindle download are actually part of the first chapter of 'Poison or Protect' another book in the Parasol Protectorate universe, not 'Meat Cute".
2 people found this helpful
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Kate
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for fans, but the story itself is a bit lacking
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is the first audiobook of Gail's that I've purchased. I missed out on "Fan Service" (*cue all the tears*), and I didn't want to wait for the Kindle edition to be released.

To be honest, I was a little disappointed by the story. I expected the Great Hedgehog Incident to be a little more...interesting? I loved that it tied in to the Finishing School series, but overall, I wish it had been a tad more dramatic.
5 people found this helpful
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Serra
5.0 out of 5 stars Short and sweet
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2020
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If you are like me, you have been dying to hear this story since it was first referenced in Soulless. The story is short, but is worth a listen as it is funny in the classic Carriger style with one of my all-time favorite character from the parasolverse. Alexia does not disappoint with her usual wit and lack of discretion. This was not the story I was expecting based on what was alluded in the Parasol Protectorate novels, but it is still nice to have that mystery solved. If you have not yet read Gail Carriger's other books, then get them now! They will make you laugh and cry and have all the feels, and I cannot recommend them strongly enough.
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Top reviews from other countries

SparklyClaire
5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2023
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A fun read and essential for those obsessed with the Parasolverse!!
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Aline Leal
4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely
Reviewed in Brazil on February 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
It was nice to see Sophronia and Soap again. And even nicer to finally read about The Hedgehog Incident.
But the problem with short stories is that they are... well, short. I could read an entire book about this, to be honest. I might have to reread all the books now. LOL
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Fee
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely
Reviewed in Germany on February 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
It is so nice to meet well known characters and see how they met. I guess it would be really nice to read chronologically and without knowing the following books. But we all, who read them, had been longing for the hedgehog incident. I did squeel several times.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The missing link
Reviewed in Australia on February 18, 2020
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I have been curious for ages and this is the perfect short story to link the series. I love it so much! Thank you!!
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Erica H. Edgington
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!!
Reviewed in Canada on March 13, 2020
Verified Purchase
Cute and absolutely hilarious. I literally read the whole thing out loud for a friend because I just couldn't get enough of the style and comedy. 10/10 I'm totally reading this again (and again and again)!
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