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Belles of London #4
The Muse of Maiden Lane
Win a free print copy of this book!
15 days and 20:42:56
10 copies available
U.S. only
A silver-haired equestrienne and a charismatic artist turn a scandalous bargain into a vibrant portrait of love.
Stella Hobhouse is a brilliant rider, stalwart friend, skilled sketch artist—and completely overlooked. Her outmodish gray hair makes her invisible to London society. Combined with her brother’s pious restrictions and her dwindling inheritance, Stella is on the verge of a lifetime marooned in Derbyshire as a spinster. Unless she does something drastic…like posing for a daring new style of portrait by the only man who’s ever really seen her.
Aspiring painter Edward “Teddy” Hayes knows true beauty when he sees it. He would never ask Stella to risk her reputation as an artist’s model but in the five years since a virulent bout of scarlet fever left him partially paralyzed, Teddy has learned to heed good fortune when he finds it. He’ll do anything to persuade his muse to pose for him, even if he must offer her a marriage of convenience.
After all, though Teddy has yearned to trace Stella’s luminous beauty on canvas since their chance meeting, her heart is what he truly aches to capture….
Stella Hobhouse is a brilliant rider, stalwart friend, skilled sketch artist—and completely overlooked. Her outmodish gray hair makes her invisible to London society. Combined with her brother’s pious restrictions and her dwindling inheritance, Stella is on the verge of a lifetime marooned in Derbyshire as a spinster. Unless she does something drastic…like posing for a daring new style of portrait by the only man who’s ever really seen her.
Aspiring painter Edward “Teddy” Hayes knows true beauty when he sees it. He would never ask Stella to risk her reputation as an artist’s model but in the five years since a virulent bout of scarlet fever left him partially paralyzed, Teddy has learned to heed good fortune when he finds it. He’ll do anything to persuade his muse to pose for him, even if he must offer her a marriage of convenience.
After all, though Teddy has yearned to trace Stella’s luminous beauty on canvas since their chance meeting, her heart is what he truly aches to capture….
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication November 19, 2024
About the author
Mimi Matthews
21 books3,591 followersUSA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning Victorian romances, including The Siren of Sussex, a 2023 RUSA Reading List shortlist pick for Best Romance; Fair as a Star, a Library Journal Best Romance of 2020; Gentleman Jim, a Kirkus Best Book of 2020; and The Work of Art, winner of the 2020 HOLT Medallion and a 2021 Daphne du Maurier Award nominee. Her novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, and Shelf Awareness, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine.
In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes an Andalusian dressage horse, a miniature poodle, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.
**I only rate the books I love.**
In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes an Andalusian dressage horse, a miniature poodle, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.
**I only rate the books I love.**
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 10, 2024
This might be my favorite Belles of London book, and Stella might be one of my favorite four horsewomen! The blossoming love story between Stella and Teddy—the angst, the banter, the way they truly see and accept each other—stole my heart.
Both of them are not the usual main characters you read in love stories; they are creative, quirky, bold, straightforward, talented, and honest. Unfortunately, London society cannot understand how unique they are, often reviewing them for their differences and unusual qualities that don't fit standard beauty norms and capabilities.
Stella Hobhouse, twenty-two, is a skillful rider, aspiring sketch artist, and loyal friend living with her clergyman brother after losing their parents. She's being pushed to find potential suitors, but her outmodish gray hair is openly criticized by a man in the papers, feeding the gossip mill of London elites.
When she accepts her best friend Anna’s invitation to a London party, she sees it as an opportunity to become someone else by dyeing her gray hair red and meeting potential suitors. What she didn’t expect was that the talented painter Edward "Teddy" Hates, whom she met at the museum three months ago, would also be a guest at the party. He already knows how she changed her hair color, a scandalous move in society that could kill her last hope of finding an ideal candidate to marry.
However, Teddy sees her true beauty, which she’s forced to hide to fit society’s standards. He’s spent much time sharpening his drawing skills and working with a tutor in Paris, portraying others. He’s bold enough to admit he wants to portray her and asks her to become his muse. Even though his straightforwardness can offend Stella, he’s also suffering from people’s pity due to being partly paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair after scarlet fever in his youth. His health situation has made him a more direct and honest person because he learned to lose a lot at a young age.
Their second meeting starts on the wrong foot when he asks her to model for him, resulting in Stella's embarrassment and her ignoring him during the festivities. However, a coincidental meeting in his studio, followed by sharing tea time and a carriage trip around the estate that ends under the mistletoe with an unforgettable kiss, slowly turns things around.
When Stella returns to her old life in Derbyshire, things get more heated with her brother Daniel’s decision to marry Amanda Trent, who criticizes everything about Stella and aims to control the household. Daniel forces Stella to marry a sixty-year-old man with older children than her, planning to restrict her from riding her horse, which he deems inappropriate behavior for ladies. This is the last straw.
Teddy becomes her pen friend under a nickname, giving her the courage to survive these unfair situations. But what if they can find a solution that suits them both? Am I talking about a marriage of inconvenience? Perhaps! You’ll have to read more to find out!
Overall, it’s a slow burn, emotional, angsty, unique story, and one of the best books in the series that I highly recommend! I think Teddy and Stella are among the best characters Mimi Mathews has created.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing historical romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Both of them are not the usual main characters you read in love stories; they are creative, quirky, bold, straightforward, talented, and honest. Unfortunately, London society cannot understand how unique they are, often reviewing them for their differences and unusual qualities that don't fit standard beauty norms and capabilities.
Stella Hobhouse, twenty-two, is a skillful rider, aspiring sketch artist, and loyal friend living with her clergyman brother after losing their parents. She's being pushed to find potential suitors, but her outmodish gray hair is openly criticized by a man in the papers, feeding the gossip mill of London elites.
When she accepts her best friend Anna’s invitation to a London party, she sees it as an opportunity to become someone else by dyeing her gray hair red and meeting potential suitors. What she didn’t expect was that the talented painter Edward "Teddy" Hates, whom she met at the museum three months ago, would also be a guest at the party. He already knows how she changed her hair color, a scandalous move in society that could kill her last hope of finding an ideal candidate to marry.
However, Teddy sees her true beauty, which she’s forced to hide to fit society’s standards. He’s spent much time sharpening his drawing skills and working with a tutor in Paris, portraying others. He’s bold enough to admit he wants to portray her and asks her to become his muse. Even though his straightforwardness can offend Stella, he’s also suffering from people’s pity due to being partly paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair after scarlet fever in his youth. His health situation has made him a more direct and honest person because he learned to lose a lot at a young age.
Their second meeting starts on the wrong foot when he asks her to model for him, resulting in Stella's embarrassment and her ignoring him during the festivities. However, a coincidental meeting in his studio, followed by sharing tea time and a carriage trip around the estate that ends under the mistletoe with an unforgettable kiss, slowly turns things around.
When Stella returns to her old life in Derbyshire, things get more heated with her brother Daniel’s decision to marry Amanda Trent, who criticizes everything about Stella and aims to control the household. Daniel forces Stella to marry a sixty-year-old man with older children than her, planning to restrict her from riding her horse, which he deems inappropriate behavior for ladies. This is the last straw.
Teddy becomes her pen friend under a nickname, giving her the courage to survive these unfair situations. But what if they can find a solution that suits them both? Am I talking about a marriage of inconvenience? Perhaps! You’ll have to read more to find out!
Overall, it’s a slow burn, emotional, angsty, unique story, and one of the best books in the series that I highly recommend! I think Teddy and Stella are among the best characters Mimi Mathews has created.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing historical romance's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Shelved as 'coming-soon'
September 4, 2024So maybe Berkley rejected me but Mimi accepted me onto her arc team so I’m back babieeeesssss! I will be arcing this bad boy after all!
I know, this is the update every body wanted 🤣
***************
Rejected by Berkley, yet again.
*************
Ok I requested the arc on NetGalley, now to wait for my rejection.
I have yet to ever be chosen by the elite Berkeley publishers. I’m 0/23, maybe this is the one?
**********
The beautiful cover is out, now it’s time for me to start politicking for the arc.
Pleaaaaaaase give it to me, Berkley, pleaaaaaase 🥺.
I know, this is the update every body wanted 🤣
***************
Rejected by Berkley, yet again.
*************
Ok I requested the arc on NetGalley, now to wait for my rejection.
I have yet to ever be chosen by the elite Berkeley publishers. I’m 0/23, maybe this is the one?
**********
The beautiful cover is out, now it’s time for me to start politicking for the arc.
Pleaaaaaaase give it to me, Berkley, pleaaaaaase 🥺.
August 19, 2024
Disability representation in romance novels is becoming increasingly commonplace, but I genuinely feel there should be more of these!!
Also - I'm biased regarding Mimi Matthews because I've always loved her books. However, one of the reasons I love her and the reason you'll love the fourth book in the Belles of London series is that her characters have SO much depth. Their relationships are unconventional but in a lovely, inspiring way.
- The first book in the series was The Siren of Sussex where the main couple was interracial during the Victorian Era.
- The second book, which I haven't read yet, although I have a physical copy waiting for me - Is a marriage of convenience romance and I will 100% be reading that while at the beach in a few weeks!!
- The third book in the series tackles overcoming serious self-doubt issues.
**The Muse of Maiden Lane is the fourth book, and one of the characters was an artist in a wheelchair - not the gentry at all, and I loved their characters all the more for it!!
(4.3/5) - I'll pretty much read anything that Mimi Matthews writes and most likely fall in love with her characters!! The one thing I was thinking throughout all of this though is that the MMC was very young? 24 seems like a really young little lad lol But overall - I still really enjoyed the story!
**Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
Also - I'm biased regarding Mimi Matthews because I've always loved her books. However, one of the reasons I love her and the reason you'll love the fourth book in the Belles of London series is that her characters have SO much depth. Their relationships are unconventional but in a lovely, inspiring way.
- The first book in the series was The Siren of Sussex where the main couple was interracial during the Victorian Era.
- The second book, which I haven't read yet, although I have a physical copy waiting for me - Is a marriage of convenience romance and I will 100% be reading that while at the beach in a few weeks!!
- The third book in the series tackles overcoming serious self-doubt issues.
**The Muse of Maiden Lane is the fourth book, and one of the characters was an artist in a wheelchair - not the gentry at all, and I loved their characters all the more for it!!
(4.3/5) - I'll pretty much read anything that Mimi Matthews writes and most likely fall in love with her characters!! The one thing I was thinking throughout all of this though is that the MMC was very young? 24 seems like a really young little lad lol But overall - I still really enjoyed the story!
**Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
May 24, 2024
I like to thank Mimi for the being the queen she is and forcing Berkley's hand at giving me an ARC. Some people have their authors they will absolutely, 100% support and Mimi is mine. I buy all her books, and every single one of the Muse books I've purchased when they come out after I have read the ARC. If there is a fanclub, I am part of it and vocal in it.
Anyway. Before I begin, I want to say: this book has a handicapped main character. I work with disability individuals, and I get to hear on the phone their suffering and their triumphs. So I responded to this very strongly. Bias (even if it was not Mimi)? Perhaps.
Teddy Hayes is like a pot boiling on the stove. His emotional feelings have been simmering and cooking for so long but held back due to his predicament (scarlet fever caused him to loose feeling in his legs). He is outspoken, direct, passionate, and focused in his art. Art is his joy and the one thing that has not been taken from him so to speak. I recall Teddy from the Orphan series, and I knew we would have an interesting character. He needed the right woman to show him and tell him he matters..
Enter Stella. Our little grey haired beauty. Teddy caught sight of her in the previous Muse book, compared her to a painting. Stella did not know how to take Teddy's outward, focused comparison. Already she has attention drawn to her due to her grey hair at a young age and she wishes she were ordinary. (She didn't always have grey hair, it just changed that way over time.)
To Teddy this is exquisite, perfection, and unlike anything he ever seen and he must paint her.
The focus of art is like an invisible thread and feeling that pulls the two of them together. From my time spent in the art path (before I chose the medical path), art can unlock people. It can heal people. It can change people. Through the course of the book, as Stella sits to be sketched by Teddy, her feelings of apprehension change into love. And his feelings of focus, determination of sketching her begin to make him soften and explore the hope that he can be loved for who he is - disability and all. I can't tell you how absolutely evocative the chapters are of him drawing her. They're intimate, hot, and it was on par of Jack Dawson drawing Rose naked on the divan. (Girl isn't even naked, and when he gets to paint her finally she still isn't naked - she is clothed in less though.)
It was also fun seeing all the Devon Parish couples appear, too. I will say that if you grabbed this ARC / book without reading those you're missing out. (While they weren't part of Berkley, they are on par with these even if under a different publisher.) It's a fun thing for a longtime reader and someone who is a fan.
I loved these books because not only does Mimi not put sex in them, she puts the focus on the emotional aspect and how a person is beyond sexual intimacy. What if Teddy could not have sex? Could he find love, even if he was handicapped? Stella proves time and time again, through her growth, she is unafraid, she is open to loving him... she wants to love him and care for him as a wife does for a husband.
To me, this series was a perfect capture of historical fiction that would delight those who watch shows like Downton Abbey or The Gilded Ones. For readers, it's a Heyer and an Austen (different time periods obviously) when you have read them all.
So thank you Mimi for allowing me to be your fan and allowing me to travel with you through your written worlds. I can't wait for your next series!
Anyway. Before I begin, I want to say: this book has a handicapped main character. I work with disability individuals, and I get to hear on the phone their suffering and their triumphs. So I responded to this very strongly. Bias (even if it was not Mimi)? Perhaps.
Teddy Hayes is like a pot boiling on the stove. His emotional feelings have been simmering and cooking for so long but held back due to his predicament (scarlet fever caused him to loose feeling in his legs). He is outspoken, direct, passionate, and focused in his art. Art is his joy and the one thing that has not been taken from him so to speak. I recall Teddy from the Orphan series, and I knew we would have an interesting character. He needed the right woman to show him and tell him he matters..
Enter Stella. Our little grey haired beauty. Teddy caught sight of her in the previous Muse book, compared her to a painting. Stella did not know how to take Teddy's outward, focused comparison. Already she has attention drawn to her due to her grey hair at a young age and she wishes she were ordinary. (She didn't always have grey hair, it just changed that way over time.)
To Teddy this is exquisite, perfection, and unlike anything he ever seen and he must paint her.
The focus of art is like an invisible thread and feeling that pulls the two of them together. From my time spent in the art path (before I chose the medical path), art can unlock people. It can heal people. It can change people. Through the course of the book, as Stella sits to be sketched by Teddy, her feelings of apprehension change into love. And his feelings of focus, determination of sketching her begin to make him soften and explore the hope that he can be loved for who he is - disability and all. I can't tell you how absolutely evocative the chapters are of him drawing her. They're intimate, hot, and it was on par of Jack Dawson drawing Rose naked on the divan. (Girl isn't even naked, and when he gets to paint her finally she still isn't naked - she is clothed in less though.)
It was also fun seeing all the Devon Parish couples appear, too. I will say that if you grabbed this ARC / book without reading those you're missing out. (While they weren't part of Berkley, they are on par with these even if under a different publisher.) It's a fun thing for a longtime reader and someone who is a fan.
I loved these books because not only does Mimi not put sex in them, she puts the focus on the emotional aspect and how a person is beyond sexual intimacy. What if Teddy could not have sex? Could he find love, even if he was handicapped? Stella proves time and time again, through her growth, she is unafraid, she is open to loving him... she wants to love him and care for him as a wife does for a husband.
To me, this series was a perfect capture of historical fiction that would delight those who watch shows like Downton Abbey or The Gilded Ones. For readers, it's a Heyer and an Austen (different time periods obviously) when you have read them all.
So thank you Mimi for allowing me to be your fan and allowing me to travel with you through your written worlds. I can't wait for your next series!
July 22, 2024
Teddy and Stella each deserve the world and Matthews has given it to them. Shining stars, both.
If The Lily of Ludgate Hill is a slow, heart-wrenching burn, Muse is a wildfire. It's a faster read than most of Matthews' others, but it was giving me shades of The Matrimonial Advertisement, which is my favorite of hers. This is a soul-stealing romance where both parties have to overcome obstacles, but find themselves (and each other) in the process. This is love at first sight, an artist finding his muse, and a bold, brilliant woman finding out how much she can shine. While Lily will always be my favorite of this series, Stella and Teddy sparkle on their own.
Bonus points because I got to see my beloved Anne and Hart and the Archers.
Pre-review:
TEDDY?! MY DARLING BOY?! MY TEDDY?! EDAKHHJFFHAWEOIF
BERKLEY, YOU BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE I WILL LOVE YOU ETERNALLY TIME TO CALL IN SICK FROM LIFE 😭😭😭😭😭
seriously, i will now lay down my life for whoever is approving people for arcs
RED ALERT!!!!!! (PURPLE ALERT????) SHE'S BEAUTIFUL
-------------
Look I just read the sneak peek in the back of Lily and I am actually foaming at the mouth for Stella x Teddy especially after the glory that was Anne x Felix
-------------
p.s. i wrote this ages ago but when i tell you i think about this book daily. my roman empire.
If The Lily of Ludgate Hill is a slow, heart-wrenching burn, Muse is a wildfire. It's a faster read than most of Matthews' others, but it was giving me shades of The Matrimonial Advertisement, which is my favorite of hers. This is a soul-stealing romance where both parties have to overcome obstacles, but find themselves (and each other) in the process. This is love at first sight, an artist finding his muse, and a bold, brilliant woman finding out how much she can shine. While Lily will always be my favorite of this series, Stella and Teddy sparkle on their own.
Bonus points because I got to see my beloved Anne and Hart and the Archers.
Pre-review:
TEDDY?! MY DARLING BOY?! MY TEDDY?! EDAKHHJFFHAWEOIF
BERKLEY, YOU BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE I WILL LOVE YOU ETERNALLY TIME TO CALL IN SICK FROM LIFE 😭😭😭😭😭
seriously, i will now lay down my life for whoever is approving people for arcs
RED ALERT!!!!!! (PURPLE ALERT????) SHE'S BEAUTIFUL
-------------
Look I just read the sneak peek in the back of Lily and I am actually foaming at the mouth for Stella x Teddy especially after the glory that was Anne x Felix
-------------
p.s. i wrote this ages ago but when i tell you i think about this book daily. my roman empire.
May 31, 2024
I am always surprised by how this author creates a love story with simple words...and makes often-overlooked characters come to life...making her Historical Romances a delight to read.
"Be loud," he told her. "Be opinionated. Be as much yourself as you wish...and then some. Once we're wed you and I will answer to no one but each other."
Teddy is an artist who has been in a wheelchair for four years after contracting scarlet fever. He is outspoken, direct, and passionate. He has always felt judged and less than because of his disability and never once entertained the possibility that someone could love him for just being himself. Stella is a skilled sketch artist, a young woman with gray hair, and Teddy's Muse. She desires to marry, leave her brother’s unwelcoming home, and longs for romantic love from someone who sees her as more than just an oddity with silver hair.
It was heartwarming to read about how Teddy and Stella relied on each other for freedom, independence, and unconditional love. They were both in challenging situations with no permanent escape, and the best they could do was manage as well as they could. Having autonomy and the freedom to make choices about their own lives seemed impossible, yet living without it was also unthinkable.
This beautiful book has unique characters, an interesting setting, and a closed-door romance, ideal for historical romance readers. It's the final book in the Belles of London series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the previous books... The Belle of Belgrave Square will always be my favorite.
Pub date, Nov 19 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC.
"Be loud," he told her. "Be opinionated. Be as much yourself as you wish...and then some. Once we're wed you and I will answer to no one but each other."
Teddy is an artist who has been in a wheelchair for four years after contracting scarlet fever. He is outspoken, direct, and passionate. He has always felt judged and less than because of his disability and never once entertained the possibility that someone could love him for just being himself. Stella is a skilled sketch artist, a young woman with gray hair, and Teddy's Muse. She desires to marry, leave her brother’s unwelcoming home, and longs for romantic love from someone who sees her as more than just an oddity with silver hair.
It was heartwarming to read about how Teddy and Stella relied on each other for freedom, independence, and unconditional love. They were both in challenging situations with no permanent escape, and the best they could do was manage as well as they could. Having autonomy and the freedom to make choices about their own lives seemed impossible, yet living without it was also unthinkable.
This beautiful book has unique characters, an interesting setting, and a closed-door romance, ideal for historical romance readers. It's the final book in the Belles of London series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the previous books... The Belle of Belgrave Square will always be my favorite.
Pub date, Nov 19 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the eARC.
May 29, 2024
I cried knowing this was the finale of the Belles of London series, but the tears dried quickly as I fell headlong into this gorgeous romantic tale of young silver-haired Stella and disabled artist Teddy.
💜 He first saw her at the British Museum and found her "stunning," especially with her distinctive hair that in Victorian society made her overlooked. His disability, born from scarlet fever, left him wheelchair-bound due to weak legs. Will they find true love?
Author Mimi Matthews writes with such elegance and heart that it is pure pleasure to read her historical romances. Her characters are relatable and ALIVE, and her narratives and settings so authentic that you feel you are horseback riding with the belles in Victorian London.
💜 I highly recommend THE MUSE OF MAIDEN LANE to readers who adore historical romances that shimmer like diamonds of the first water. Brava, Mimi!
💜 He first saw her at the British Museum and found her "stunning," especially with her distinctive hair that in Victorian society made her overlooked. His disability, born from scarlet fever, left him wheelchair-bound due to weak legs. Will they find true love?
Author Mimi Matthews writes with such elegance and heart that it is pure pleasure to read her historical romances. Her characters are relatable and ALIVE, and her narratives and settings so authentic that you feel you are horseback riding with the belles in Victorian London.
💜 I highly recommend THE MUSE OF MAIDEN LANE to readers who adore historical romances that shimmer like diamonds of the first water. Brava, Mimi!
July 19, 2024
The final novel in the Belles of London series finds Stella Hobhouse, the fourth horsewoman of the group of equestrian friends, regretfully seeking a husband for financial security.
When she meets disabled artist Teddy Hayes again at a country house Christmas party, he is determined to paint her portrait. Since proper young ladies do not work as artist's models, she is perplexed by his dogged determination that only she can be his muse to begin his professional career. The story is about their own personal challenges that are holding them back and how they resolve them together.
This was a great conclusion to the series bringing all of the previous couples back into the story at different moments to support Stella and help her find her happiness. Matthews continues her smooth prose and historical references skillfully. The romance is a slow burn, so be patient until the finale.
When she meets disabled artist Teddy Hayes again at a country house Christmas party, he is determined to paint her portrait. Since proper young ladies do not work as artist's models, she is perplexed by his dogged determination that only she can be his muse to begin his professional career. The story is about their own personal challenges that are holding them back and how they resolve them together.
This was a great conclusion to the series bringing all of the previous couples back into the story at different moments to support Stella and help her find her happiness. Matthews continues her smooth prose and historical references skillfully. The romance is a slow burn, so be patient until the finale.
May 18, 2024
This whole series was just such a delight! I love that Matthews brings together characters all throughout her universe of books - it makes it so fun to see cameos and catch up on the lives of so many beloved characters.
Teddy and Stella are so perfect for each other, and Matthews weaves that so seamlessly throughout the story. There were small pieces of knowledge provided that showed me just how much they would be able to support, celebrate and uplift one another. I loved their grumpy/sunshine personalities, and the honesty they both were always able to get to with one another.
This was such a great read and exactly what I needed to get me through my Bridgerton III part I withdrawals.
Thanks to Berkley and Edelweiss for the ARC!
Teddy and Stella are so perfect for each other, and Matthews weaves that so seamlessly throughout the story. There were small pieces of knowledge provided that showed me just how much they would be able to support, celebrate and uplift one another. I loved their grumpy/sunshine personalities, and the honesty they both were always able to get to with one another.
This was such a great read and exactly what I needed to get me through my Bridgerton III part I withdrawals.
Thanks to Berkley and Edelweiss for the ARC!
May 22, 2024
ARC provided by the publisher.
What a wonderful, wonderful book and delightful way to close out a series. The Parish Orphans of Devon series is one of my favorites and I have absolutely loved the Belles of London. That they have a crossover is pure heaven.
I loved Stella and Teddy’s story so very much. They are two characters whose pairing and ultimate HEA I have been anticipating for months. It did not disappoint. They were perfect for each other in every way. I loved that they saw each other. Truly saw each other. In Victorian England, a prematurely silver haired horsewoman and many in a wheelchair were subjected to disregard and ignorance. Both found ways to express their frustrations that society didn’t fully understand. What mattered is how they understood each other and the magic of that flows each page. Pure magic.
What a wonderful, wonderful book and delightful way to close out a series. The Parish Orphans of Devon series is one of my favorites and I have absolutely loved the Belles of London. That they have a crossover is pure heaven.
I loved Stella and Teddy’s story so very much. They are two characters whose pairing and ultimate HEA I have been anticipating for months. It did not disappoint. They were perfect for each other in every way. I loved that they saw each other. Truly saw each other. In Victorian England, a prematurely silver haired horsewoman and many in a wheelchair were subjected to disregard and ignorance. Both found ways to express their frustrations that society didn’t fully understand. What mattered is how they understood each other and the magic of that flows each page. Pure magic.
Want to read
September 22, 2023Oh how I can't wait for this book!! I hope this cover is mauve/purple because I think that would go so nicely with all of the others <3
May 26, 2024
Mimi Matthews’ writing enchants as always! She paints the most beautiful love story with words. Miss Stella Hobhouse is a young woman whose hair has gone gray. She wants to find a husband and escape her brother’s unwelcome home. By chance, she meets a handsome artist in a wheelchair at an art gallery. Stella doesn’t expect to see him again at a house party; especially since she’s dyed her hair! Mr.
Teddy Hayes has been confined to a wheelchair for four years after contracting scarlet fever. He discovers his muse with silver hair at a house party, but his enthusiasm scares her away. They eventually become friends and then something far dearer.
Both characters know how it feels to be judged on their outward appearances. But love requires vulnerability and trust. This is a beautiful book with compelling original characters, an interesting artistic setting, an unforgettable love story.
Want to read
February 26, 2024MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE?? you have to be kidding me!! i was already sold on this, now i'm DESPERATE hahaha
June 11, 2024
While I really enjoyed Julia and Anne's stories, neither quite captured the magic of Evelyn's story for me. However, Stella's story might just do that! I loved watching Stella come into her own and find a place where she could be her whole self!
I also loved watching Teddy and Stella bond. They had a lot in common and I loved how much they appreciated each other even though the rest of society did not see their gifts. I thought they had a really special bond.
I am always blown away when I finish a historical romance and read the author's note about all the time they put into the research for the story. I really appreciated that Mimi Matthews spent a lot of time understanding what it would have been like to be in a wheelchair during the Victorian period and showed us that research through Teddy's character.
If you like a historical romance this one is sweet and informative! Teddy and Stella both need someone and watching them find that they don't just need someone they need each other is a wonderful journey.
Thank you to Berkely Romance for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.
I also loved watching Teddy and Stella bond. They had a lot in common and I loved how much they appreciated each other even though the rest of society did not see their gifts. I thought they had a really special bond.
I am always blown away when I finish a historical romance and read the author's note about all the time they put into the research for the story. I really appreciated that Mimi Matthews spent a lot of time understanding what it would have been like to be in a wheelchair during the Victorian period and showed us that research through Teddy's character.
If you like a historical romance this one is sweet and informative! Teddy and Stella both need someone and watching them find that they don't just need someone they need each other is a wonderful journey.
Thank you to Berkely Romance for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.
September 4, 2024
I've been waiting for Teddy's book ever since I first met him in Laura and Alex's book, A Convenient Fiction, in the Parish Orphans series. As always, I love Ms. Matthew's writing style. I was so excited that we got to revisit old friends from not only the previous Belles of London books, but also the Parish Orphans series. The author did a wonderful job uniting both series and handling a lot of characters in one book.
I teared up a few times during Teddy's POV as he's dealing with the vulnerability and frustration that comes with being wheelchair-bound and dependent on others. I loved how Stella never saw him as an invalid or less than because of his disability. I also loved how Teddy truly saw Stella from the beginning as a person (something her brother never did).
I will say that the conflict and pacing were a bit off (IMHO) and while I enjoyed the book, I wished it would have been a bit longer so we could have been shown more of Teddy and Stella's time together.
It's best to read this in order, but I recommend it for those looking for closed-door, disability rep, historical fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC so I could leave an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I teared up a few times during Teddy's POV as he's dealing with the vulnerability and frustration that comes with being wheelchair-bound and dependent on others. I loved how Stella never saw him as an invalid or less than because of his disability. I also loved how Teddy truly saw Stella from the beginning as a person (something her brother never did).
I will say that the conflict and pacing were a bit off (IMHO) and while I enjoyed the book, I wished it would have been a bit longer so we could have been shown more of Teddy and Stella's time together.
It's best to read this in order, but I recommend it for those looking for closed-door, disability rep, historical fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC so I could leave an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 6, 2024
The couple is lovely, as all of hers are. Stars off due to what was (for me) extreme pacing issues. The art aspect was wonderful (like really wonderful) as was seeing couples from previous novels. The premise for this entire series was so good, yet in almost each one there was something in the feel that kept this from being as loved by me as all her others. There is a preview at the end for Crinoline Academy in this and I have high hopes there.
May 29, 2024
I loved getting to know Stella, the final Horsewoman, and her developing relationship with Teddy, a wheelchair-bound male lead. The author depicted the two main characters' feelings about their abnormalities realistically and I so appreciated their journey toward understanding and helping one another. Both of them were in situations that there is no permanent escape from and the best they can do is manage it as well as they can. Having autonomy and the freedom of choice over their own lives seems impossible but also impossible to live without.
You'll get more out of this book if you've read the others first, because many of Mimi's previous characters make an appearance here, and it means more when you already know them.
While I appreciated this book for the nonreligious clean romance that it is, the fade to black scene (married couples only in MM books!) was borderline for me, and I resonated more with other characters in this series. What I mean is that I was more inspired by Anne's decision to nobly serve another through personal sacrifice than by Teddy and Stella's casting off of restraints for their own sakes only. Their pursuit of autonomy was more self absorbed, which is common in our culture and probably appreciated by most of the readers of this book. The characters were represented well though, and I don't expect all of them to share my worldview.
I'm so grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the ebook so I could read and write an honest review. The slow burn romance was perfect, and I enjoyed this read.
You'll get more out of this book if you've read the others first, because many of Mimi's previous characters make an appearance here, and it means more when you already know them.
While I appreciated this book for the nonreligious clean romance that it is, the fade to black scene (married couples only in MM books!) was borderline for me, and I resonated more with other characters in this series. What I mean is that I was more inspired by Anne's decision to nobly serve another through personal sacrifice than by Teddy and Stella's casting off of restraints for their own sakes only. Their pursuit of autonomy was more self absorbed, which is common in our culture and probably appreciated by most of the readers of this book. The characters were represented well though, and I don't expect all of them to share my worldview.
I'm so grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the ebook so I could read and write an honest review. The slow burn romance was perfect, and I enjoyed this read.
June 5, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 out of 5 stars
This is a smart end to a charming series. Mimi Mathews is a talented writer and veritable historian- with abundant research and historical accuracy in her books.
There is so much to like about this book, but the aspect that may stand out for readers, as both novel (unfortunately) and informative, will be Teddy’s use of a wheelchair.
Teddy lost use of his legs five years ago after contracting scarlet fever.
This book so articulately describes the emotional and logistical challenges facing a young man with a wheelchair in the Victorian era. The author didn’t shy away from the sad finality of Teddy’s circumstances, nor did she make him a focus of pity. The depiction of Teddy, and his romance with Stella, is as an important and beautiful example of inclusive representation in historical romance.
One shortcoming for me was that I didn’t feel like I knew Teddy quite as deeply as some of the heroes in the author’s other books. While we are given so much insight into Teddy’s feelings about the limits to the use of his legs, I felt there were other aspects of him that didn’t feel fully fleshed out for me.
That said, there is so much to cherish about Teddy and Stella. I commend Mimi Mathews on a singular finish to a smart series and recommend this book.
Thank you to @netgalley and to the publisher for providing an advanced reader copy of this book.
4 out of 5 stars
This is a smart end to a charming series. Mimi Mathews is a talented writer and veritable historian- with abundant research and historical accuracy in her books.
There is so much to like about this book, but the aspect that may stand out for readers, as both novel (unfortunately) and informative, will be Teddy’s use of a wheelchair.
Teddy lost use of his legs five years ago after contracting scarlet fever.
This book so articulately describes the emotional and logistical challenges facing a young man with a wheelchair in the Victorian era. The author didn’t shy away from the sad finality of Teddy’s circumstances, nor did she make him a focus of pity. The depiction of Teddy, and his romance with Stella, is as an important and beautiful example of inclusive representation in historical romance.
One shortcoming for me was that I didn’t feel like I knew Teddy quite as deeply as some of the heroes in the author’s other books. While we are given so much insight into Teddy’s feelings about the limits to the use of his legs, I felt there were other aspects of him that didn’t feel fully fleshed out for me.
That said, there is so much to cherish about Teddy and Stella. I commend Mimi Mathews on a singular finish to a smart series and recommend this book.
Thank you to @netgalley and to the publisher for providing an advanced reader copy of this book.
August 25, 2024
Grey-haired Stella is the only one of her friends still unwed, and does not expect to marry soon either. But between her new acquaintance with aspiring artist Teddy and the pressure from her brother’s impending marriage, Stella finds that her path may not be what she always envisioned.
After a whirlwind read of the previous three books in the Belles of London series, we conclude with the story of Stella Hobhouse, a clergyman’s sister who is the best rider of the group. With the way she was left in the last book, it was exciting to be able to pick up right away in that same moment and head off to the races of her and Teddy’s romance!
As usual, Matthews’ latest offering is swoonworthy and sweet, with plenty of humor and friendship mixed in with the romance. Stella and Teddy are well-matched, and I loved seeing how over the course of the book they manage to set each other free. That I am fairly familiar with the historical backdrop of this particular book (specifically the birth of Impressionism) was just the cherry on top.
However, I did think the last section of the book stumbled a little bit, the conclusion drawing out into an anti-climax. I wish I could put my finger on where it fell short – maybe it was that we didn’t see where Stella and Teddy made their last mental leap to the happy ending, or maybe because some loose ends were addressed only in the epilogue. I also thought the blurb revealed a little too much too early – the marriage of convenience doesn’t come around until a good three-quarters through the book!
Overall though, I really enjoyed this series as a whole – and Matthews has definitely found herself another devoted reader.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
After a whirlwind read of the previous three books in the Belles of London series, we conclude with the story of Stella Hobhouse, a clergyman’s sister who is the best rider of the group. With the way she was left in the last book, it was exciting to be able to pick up right away in that same moment and head off to the races of her and Teddy’s romance!
As usual, Matthews’ latest offering is swoonworthy and sweet, with plenty of humor and friendship mixed in with the romance. Stella and Teddy are well-matched, and I loved seeing how over the course of the book they manage to set each other free. That I am fairly familiar with the historical backdrop of this particular book (specifically the birth of Impressionism) was just the cherry on top.
However, I did think the last section of the book stumbled a little bit, the conclusion drawing out into an anti-climax. I wish I could put my finger on where it fell short – maybe it was that we didn’t see where Stella and Teddy made their last mental leap to the happy ending, or maybe because some loose ends were addressed only in the epilogue. I also thought the blurb revealed a little too much too early – the marriage of convenience doesn’t come around until a good three-quarters through the book!
Overall though, I really enjoyed this series as a whole – and Matthews has definitely found herself another devoted reader.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
September 14, 2024
ARC Review.
I was so looking forward to this book after reading A Convenient Fiction thinking "I can't wait for Teddy's book!" But Stella is the shining star of this book, pun utterly intended.
The structure has a similarity to Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas, and despite being a closed door romance, this has a sensuality that can't be denied.
This book has one of my favourite proposal scenes in a historical romance ever, truly a highlight of the book that had me at the edge of my seat.
The characters are fantastic and so well written. I can absolutely see where these characters will be in ten, twenty even thirty years from this point, as their modern views on art will grow and influence them in other ways too.
This is the final book in the series and dovetails lovingly with Matthew's other series, The Parish Orphans. These are not cameos from previous characters or an extended epilogue. They're all full characters and vital to the story.
I would love to see a book on the next generation of both these series. Set during the height of the Industrial Revolution, with these children of the rising middle class, working people with modernist ideals. Matthews would thrive with this.
I was so looking forward to this book after reading A Convenient Fiction thinking "I can't wait for Teddy's book!" But Stella is the shining star of this book, pun utterly intended.
The structure has a similarity to Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas, and despite being a closed door romance, this has a sensuality that can't be denied.
This book has one of my favourite proposal scenes in a historical romance ever, truly a highlight of the book that had me at the edge of my seat.
The characters are fantastic and so well written. I can absolutely see where these characters will be in ten, twenty even thirty years from this point, as their modern views on art will grow and influence them in other ways too.
This is the final book in the series and dovetails lovingly with Matthew's other series, The Parish Orphans. These are not cameos from previous characters or an extended epilogue. They're all full characters and vital to the story.
I would love to see a book on the next generation of both these series. Set during the height of the Industrial Revolution, with these children of the rising middle class, working people with modernist ideals. Matthews would thrive with this.
Want to read
March 9, 2024TEDDY?? I might just expire
August 19, 2024
I absolutely adore many of the books by Mimi Matthews, but find others a bit of a miss. The Muse of Maiden Lane is fine – well written, well researched – but it didn’t resonate with me. There is no tension in the relationship between Teddy and Stella. He says he doesn’t want to marry, but we don’t believe that. Stella is put off by Teddy’s forward ways, but not that much.
I was a bit puzzled by Stella dyeing her hair for a house party – did she not know eventually she might see those people somewhere else when her hair went back to gray? (“But one rule remained as inflexible in London as it was across Britain entire: a respectable female did not color her hair. Only actresses and - Stella blushed to admit to herself – prostitutes would resort to such tawdry tricks.” p. 1 of the advance reader copy) For that matter, I don’t get the deal with a beautiful young woman having gray hair. Would that really have been a big deal in Victorian times?
As book four in this series, there are also too many brief and distracting appearances by so many characters from this series and another by the author. As a reader, I really don’t expect every happy character to cameo. I know the author loves horses, but this is also an excessively horsy book. Lots of descriptions of and focus on the four horses. Yes, they love their horses. Yes, we understand that Stella will not give up her spirited and dangerous gray horse that matches her hair.
I still love Matthews and eagerly await her next book, but The Muse of Maiden Lane was a miss for me. I read an advance reader copy from Netgalley.
I was a bit puzzled by Stella dyeing her hair for a house party – did she not know eventually she might see those people somewhere else when her hair went back to gray? (“But one rule remained as inflexible in London as it was across Britain entire: a respectable female did not color her hair. Only actresses and - Stella blushed to admit to herself – prostitutes would resort to such tawdry tricks.” p. 1 of the advance reader copy) For that matter, I don’t get the deal with a beautiful young woman having gray hair. Would that really have been a big deal in Victorian times?
As book four in this series, there are also too many brief and distracting appearances by so many characters from this series and another by the author. As a reader, I really don’t expect every happy character to cameo. I know the author loves horses, but this is also an excessively horsy book. Lots of descriptions of and focus on the four horses. Yes, they love their horses. Yes, we understand that Stella will not give up her spirited and dangerous gray horse that matches her hair.
I still love Matthews and eagerly await her next book, but The Muse of Maiden Lane was a miss for me. I read an advance reader copy from Netgalley.
May 26, 2024
Even though this ended very well, I really struggled to get through it. I absolutely adore this series, but this one wasn’t by favorite.
It’s a verrry slow burn that needed a touch faster pacing. The characters barely knew each other even at 60 percent of the story!
It was unique to see a character in a wheel chair in Victorian England, and I appreciate how the author handled the details and intentions of the time.
Still love this author - looking forward to her next book!
It’s a verrry slow burn that needed a touch faster pacing. The characters barely knew each other even at 60 percent of the story!
It was unique to see a character in a wheel chair in Victorian England, and I appreciate how the author handled the details and intentions of the time.
Still love this author - looking forward to her next book!
August 5, 2024
Mimi Matthews Is a master at her craft.
I have never begun reading one of her books that I wanted to stop reading before it was finished. Her writing is lush, full of emotion and flows wonderfully.
Teddy and Stella are an unlikely match. They are both yearn to make their own way in life.
He is a talented artist confined to a wheelchair and she is one of the Four Horsewomen. She has gray hair and feels invisible to society.
Their road to happiness is a bumpy one but oh so engaging.
I loved that all the women and families from the series appeared in this final book.
I’m sorry to see this series end but Mimi ties it all up well.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.
I have never begun reading one of her books that I wanted to stop reading before it was finished. Her writing is lush, full of emotion and flows wonderfully.
Teddy and Stella are an unlikely match. They are both yearn to make their own way in life.
He is a talented artist confined to a wheelchair and she is one of the Four Horsewomen. She has gray hair and feels invisible to society.
Their road to happiness is a bumpy one but oh so engaging.
I loved that all the women and families from the series appeared in this final book.
I’m sorry to see this series end but Mimi ties it all up well.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.
Read
July 11, 2024I didn’t love the pacing or romance in this one. The blurb says marriage of convenience but that doesn’t happen till the 70% point. So there’s a lot less about the romance itself. But I did really appreciate the depiction of disability and it was super interesting to read about a hero using a wheelchair in a historical romance
Want to read
January 23, 2024Yes I would also like the color on the next cover that contrast with Estela's hair
June 17, 2024
Okay y'all, buckle in cause I've got a raving review coming in!
The moment I read the synopsis of this gorgeous book, I knew I was gonna be chomping at the bit to read it (November is SO far away!). Thankfully, Mimi is a goddess and forced Berkley to send me an ARC and thus ensued me voraciously reading Teddy & Stella's story over the next 24 hours. (I'm not kidding, when my husband came home that same night I received it, he was shocked I'd finished it). Of course, I devoured the whole thing but then had to go back and reread it more slowly to savor each moment and each detail of this exquisite book.
So, to start, I had to put this in because I feel like this is Teddy to a T when it comes to him pining over Stella:
(My hubby giggled when he found out her name was Stella because then he just started singing from the Simpsons' episode of Streetcar Named Desire and I can't unhear it anymore 😂😂)
ANYway back to Stella and Teddy's story, in short it was perfect, but I'll obviously expound as to why I loved it.
First off, I loved how Teddy easily mistakes his infatuation for Stella with artistic obsession/inspiration. It's so obvious from the get go that he has a major jones for Stella, but because of his pride and wariness to be vulnerable, he chalks it up to just a gnawing desire to paint her. However, over time, both Stella and Teddy become friends during the same party where Anne and Hartford get engaged and then they begin to correspond via letters for the next several months before meeting up in London at the start of spring.
Both Teddy and Stella seem to be two sides of the same coin, where Teddy chafes at his family/friends' concerns over him (and maybe cosseting him) and confinement to a wheelchair, Stella feels stifled by her overbearing brother & his views on how Stella should live her life (not to mention his low-key tyrant of a fiance--we'll see how well THAT marriage lasts)
It was wonderful to read how both Teddy and Stella needed each other for freedom, independence and unconditional love, but for different reasons. Though Teddy has always been loved by his sister Laura, and his aunt, and of course loved by Laura's hubby, Alex, he's always felt judged and less than because of his disability and never once entertained the possibility that someone could love him for being just him. A man--a man who's a talented, budding artist.
Stella, on the other hand, has hardly had a kind word from her oppressive brother and has only ever been loved for who she is by her friends Evie, Julia & Anne. But of course, she yearns for romantic love from someone who sees her as more than just an oddity with silver hair. I love how she had a wildness to her too that came out on occasion that proves there's more to her than meets the eye. (There's a sort of showdown with a country squire in front of her brother that I was trying SO hard not to laugh at because I wasn't expecting Stella to be so bold but boy did she give it to him with both barrels! Way to go Stella!)
I'll share one of my favorite moments that I keep circling back to that is just so classic Teddy-who knows just what to say to soothe Stella's insecurities:
He brought his hands to frame her face, halting her speech. She broke off, meeting his gaze with quivering uncertainty. He heard her inhale an uneven breath.
"Be loud," he told her. "Be opinionated. Be as much yourself as you wish--and then some. Once we're wed you and I will answer to no one but each other."
Stella's mouth trembled. His head was already bent to hers. There were but a few inches left between them, taut with mingled breath and heat and the stirring fragrance of lilacs. The temptation was too great to resist. Heart thundering madly, Teddy closed the distance and pressed his lips to hers.
.........
At length he drew back from her. His thumbs moved over the blushing curves of her cheeks--tender, reassuring, distinctly proprietary. She was made to be his. He'd recognized it the first time he saw her.
"So, what say you, my beautiful shining star?" he asked huskily. "Is it a yes?"
SIGHHHHHHH that is a MAN right there. Obviously, you'll have to read it to see what happens next ;) but boy oh boy was this book exactly what I needed in my life! There's so much more I loved about this book, between the sprinkles of art history, Stella's love of her horse, Locket, the friendships and reunion between the Parish Orphans characters and the Belles of London characters--it was SO good to see Laura and Alex, Tom and Jenny, Helena and Justin and Neville and Clara again! Not to mention seeing Anne get married off to Hartford and a delightful epilogue where some of our favorite people have babies 😍🥹
Seriously, read it! It's the perfect ending to a perfect series, which of course isn't surprising since it is Mimi Matthews. Seriously, I've read literally everything of hers and I'm convinced she has magic fingers that type out the best stories. You also get a sneak peek of her new series from the Crinoline Academy coming out next year at the end of the book which is super exciting!
Thank you again and again to Mimi Matthews, Berkley & Netgalley for the ARC. It legit made my year!
Stella:
Teddy:
The moment I read the synopsis of this gorgeous book, I knew I was gonna be chomping at the bit to read it (November is SO far away!). Thankfully, Mimi is a goddess and forced Berkley to send me an ARC and thus ensued me voraciously reading Teddy & Stella's story over the next 24 hours. (I'm not kidding, when my husband came home that same night I received it, he was shocked I'd finished it). Of course, I devoured the whole thing but then had to go back and reread it more slowly to savor each moment and each detail of this exquisite book.
So, to start, I had to put this in because I feel like this is Teddy to a T when it comes to him pining over Stella:
(My hubby giggled when he found out her name was Stella because then he just started singing from the Simpsons' episode of Streetcar Named Desire and I can't unhear it anymore 😂😂)
ANYway back to Stella and Teddy's story, in short it was perfect, but I'll obviously expound as to why I loved it.
First off, I loved how Teddy easily mistakes his infatuation for Stella with artistic obsession/inspiration. It's so obvious from the get go that he has a major jones for Stella, but because of his pride and wariness to be vulnerable, he chalks it up to just a gnawing desire to paint her. However, over time, both Stella and Teddy become friends during the same party where Anne and Hartford get engaged and then they begin to correspond via letters for the next several months before meeting up in London at the start of spring.
Both Teddy and Stella seem to be two sides of the same coin, where Teddy chafes at his family/friends' concerns over him (and maybe cosseting him) and confinement to a wheelchair, Stella feels stifled by her overbearing brother & his views on how Stella should live her life (not to mention his low-key tyrant of a fiance--we'll see how well THAT marriage lasts)
It was wonderful to read how both Teddy and Stella needed each other for freedom, independence and unconditional love, but for different reasons. Though Teddy has always been loved by his sister Laura, and his aunt, and of course loved by Laura's hubby, Alex, he's always felt judged and less than because of his disability and never once entertained the possibility that someone could love him for being just him. A man--a man who's a talented, budding artist.
Stella, on the other hand, has hardly had a kind word from her oppressive brother and has only ever been loved for who she is by her friends Evie, Julia & Anne. But of course, she yearns for romantic love from someone who sees her as more than just an oddity with silver hair. I love how she had a wildness to her too that came out on occasion that proves there's more to her than meets the eye. (There's a sort of showdown with a country squire in front of her brother that I was trying SO hard not to laugh at because I wasn't expecting Stella to be so bold but boy did she give it to him with both barrels! Way to go Stella!)
I'll share one of my favorite moments that I keep circling back to that is just so classic Teddy-who knows just what to say to soothe Stella's insecurities:
He brought his hands to frame her face, halting her speech. She broke off, meeting his gaze with quivering uncertainty. He heard her inhale an uneven breath.
"Be loud," he told her. "Be opinionated. Be as much yourself as you wish--and then some. Once we're wed you and I will answer to no one but each other."
Stella's mouth trembled. His head was already bent to hers. There were but a few inches left between them, taut with mingled breath and heat and the stirring fragrance of lilacs. The temptation was too great to resist. Heart thundering madly, Teddy closed the distance and pressed his lips to hers.
.........
At length he drew back from her. His thumbs moved over the blushing curves of her cheeks--tender, reassuring, distinctly proprietary. She was made to be his. He'd recognized it the first time he saw her.
"So, what say you, my beautiful shining star?" he asked huskily. "Is it a yes?"
SIGHHHHHHH that is a MAN right there. Obviously, you'll have to read it to see what happens next ;) but boy oh boy was this book exactly what I needed in my life! There's so much more I loved about this book, between the sprinkles of art history, Stella's love of her horse, Locket, the friendships and reunion between the Parish Orphans characters and the Belles of London characters--it was SO good to see Laura and Alex, Tom and Jenny, Helena and Justin and Neville and Clara again! Not to mention seeing Anne get married off to Hartford and a delightful epilogue where some of our favorite people have babies 😍🥹
Seriously, read it! It's the perfect ending to a perfect series, which of course isn't surprising since it is Mimi Matthews. Seriously, I've read literally everything of hers and I'm convinced she has magic fingers that type out the best stories. You also get a sneak peek of her new series from the Crinoline Academy coming out next year at the end of the book which is super exciting!
Thank you again and again to Mimi Matthews, Berkley & Netgalley for the ARC. It legit made my year!
Stella:
Teddy:
June 2, 2024
Thank you, Mimi, for catering to your OG readers! I’m currently enjoying an extended vacation at the Finchley’s residence in Half Moon Street. 🤩
Tenderly sensual and swoony, The Muse of Maiden Lane invites readers to embark on a soul-stirring journey of love, yearning, and resilience. Teddy and Stella’s thoughtful and emotionally rewarding romance will undoubtedly sweep readers off their feet. A supremely satisfying series finale that feels more like a new beginning. What happens when you raise the stakes of a marriage of convenience? Read and find out!
Stella Hobhouse, the last unmarried member of the Four Hoursewomen, is desperate to leave her clergyman brother’s home. She must find a husband. What the silver-haired young lady did not expect was becoming the muse of a handsome artist. Teddy is a delightful menace! I am thrilled he got his own book. His character was first introduced in A Convenient Fiction published in 2019. An illness in his youth left his legs partially paralyzed. I love his directness, I love his vulnerability, and I love how he sees Stella. I also love his practical approach to their situation. Their romance will stay with me for a long time. I love them. Their first meeting in Lily left me enthralled. I wanted more! I got more alright! 😍
The Belles of London series celebrates love, life, friendship, sisterhood, and horses. Furthermore, an empowering theme of this series is that it depicts protagonists who dare to break free from the shackles of societal rules to embrace love and redefine their lives. In Muse, too, Stella and Teddy defy convention and follow their hearts, even when interfering (ok, well-meaning but interfering) family members try to create complications for them. But I do get Laura and Alex’s concerns. Nothing but love for those two. Not Daniel and Amanda though. I hope they make each other miserable. 😇
Mimi Matthews expertly transports 21st century readers back in time with vivid descriptions of Victorian culture, clothes, and everyday life. Several secondary characters from diverse walks of life add charm to an already wonderful book. Most especially, I am overjoyed to be reunited with the Parish Orphans of Devon (one of my all-time favorite historical romance series). While I was hoping to be also reunited with Magpie, I’m glad he’s living his best life in Grasse.
“What’s wrong with being difficult?” Never change, Jenny!
A big thank you to Mimi, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC. All thoughts are my own.
Content Note: Closed door.
Tenderly sensual and swoony, The Muse of Maiden Lane invites readers to embark on a soul-stirring journey of love, yearning, and resilience. Teddy and Stella’s thoughtful and emotionally rewarding romance will undoubtedly sweep readers off their feet. A supremely satisfying series finale that feels more like a new beginning. What happens when you raise the stakes of a marriage of convenience? Read and find out!
Stella Hobhouse, the last unmarried member of the Four Hoursewomen, is desperate to leave her clergyman brother’s home. She must find a husband. What the silver-haired young lady did not expect was becoming the muse of a handsome artist. Teddy is a delightful menace! I am thrilled he got his own book. His character was first introduced in A Convenient Fiction published in 2019. An illness in his youth left his legs partially paralyzed. I love his directness, I love his vulnerability, and I love how he sees Stella. I also love his practical approach to their situation. Their romance will stay with me for a long time. I love them. Their first meeting in Lily left me enthralled. I wanted more! I got more alright! 😍
The Belles of London series celebrates love, life, friendship, sisterhood, and horses. Furthermore, an empowering theme of this series is that it depicts protagonists who dare to break free from the shackles of societal rules to embrace love and redefine their lives. In Muse, too, Stella and Teddy defy convention and follow their hearts, even when interfering (ok, well-meaning but interfering) family members try to create complications for them. But I do get Laura and Alex’s concerns. Nothing but love for those two. Not Daniel and Amanda though. I hope they make each other miserable. 😇
Mimi Matthews expertly transports 21st century readers back in time with vivid descriptions of Victorian culture, clothes, and everyday life. Several secondary characters from diverse walks of life add charm to an already wonderful book. Most especially, I am overjoyed to be reunited with the Parish Orphans of Devon (one of my all-time favorite historical romance series). While I was hoping to be also reunited with Magpie, I’m glad he’s living his best life in Grasse.
“What’s wrong with being difficult?” Never change, Jenny!
A big thank you to Mimi, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC. All thoughts are my own.
Content Note: Closed door.
September 1, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • 🌶️ ½
✦Series: The Belles of London, book 4
✦POV: Dual first-person
✦Pub date: 19 Nov 2024
💍 Marriage of Convenience
🦽 Disability rep
🔥 Slow burn
💜 No third act breakup
🐎 Horse girls, but make it Regency
» I loved Stella from the start. She was easy to root for and I was impressed by her emotional fortitude considering how terribly she was treated by her brother. She’s a loyal friend, and she didn’t back down from Teddy when he had poor temper.
» Teddy defined loveable curmudgeon. He is understandably surly; he’s still navigating the grief of acquiring disability. No grown man wants to be infantilized as he was, but his wry humour and obvious (in the good way) obsession with Stella was charming.
» I enjoyed how the story moved through different settings and seasons. Fondness from absence drew tension beautifully between Stella and Teddy and felt realistic. I found the slow, steady development of their relationship heartwarming.
» Mimi Matthews has a comfortable writing style, and I liked the change of POV within chapters to handle how Stella or Teddy experienced the scene. Stella and Teddy were both cleverly written, and the banter was quick and witty.
✩ Honourable mention for the positive (without being toxic) disability rep and the reminder to honour folks’ humanity and dignity. Thank you for keeping it real! IL Philosophy FTW! 👏
♡ I was thrilled to get my hands on Muse after loving The Belle of Belgrave Square; it did not disappoint. There was so much to love about this story, and it was a delight from start to finish.
⚠️ Contains misogyny, ableism. Please check warnings.
✨ Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Connect with me on Instagram for more bookish content!
✦Series: The Belles of London, book 4
✦POV: Dual first-person
✦Pub date: 19 Nov 2024
💍 Marriage of Convenience
🦽 Disability rep
🔥 Slow burn
💜 No third act breakup
🐎 Horse girls, but make it Regency
» I loved Stella from the start. She was easy to root for and I was impressed by her emotional fortitude considering how terribly she was treated by her brother. She’s a loyal friend, and she didn’t back down from Teddy when he had poor temper.
» Teddy defined loveable curmudgeon. He is understandably surly; he’s still navigating the grief of acquiring disability. No grown man wants to be infantilized as he was, but his wry humour and obvious (in the good way) obsession with Stella was charming.
» I enjoyed how the story moved through different settings and seasons. Fondness from absence drew tension beautifully between Stella and Teddy and felt realistic. I found the slow, steady development of their relationship heartwarming.
» Mimi Matthews has a comfortable writing style, and I liked the change of POV within chapters to handle how Stella or Teddy experienced the scene. Stella and Teddy were both cleverly written, and the banter was quick and witty.
✩ Honourable mention for the positive (without being toxic) disability rep and the reminder to honour folks’ humanity and dignity. Thank you for keeping it real! IL Philosophy FTW! 👏
❝Forget being small and quiet, Teddy had said yesterday. I’m asking you to be conspicuous with me. The words had awakened something in Stella, as surely as a sorcerer’s spell.❞
♡ I was thrilled to get my hands on Muse after loving The Belle of Belgrave Square; it did not disappoint. There was so much to love about this story, and it was a delight from start to finish.
⚠️ Contains misogyny, ableism. Please check warnings.
✨ Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Connect with me on Instagram for more bookish content!
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