If you ever need me to stay awake till 2am, just hand me a Mimi Matthews book. I paid for it all week, of course, but falling in love with The Lily of Ludgate Hill, the latest in the Belles of London series, was worth the bags under my eyes. The romance swept me off my feet and the family drama had me on the edge of my seat as I got more and more engrossed. The longer this series goes on, the harder it is for me to pick a favorite installment, and this is another strong contender.
In the eyes of their friends and all London society, Lady Anne Deveril and Mr. Felix Hartford are bitter nemeses, but no one knows the reason for their animosity: disappointed love. Seven years ago, they were mad for each other and wanted to marry, but family tragedies and youthful immaturity separated them, each bitterly blaming the other but unable to stop caring. When circumstances draw them together again, will they be able to set aside the old grudges and avoid the same mistakes?
One of many things I love about Matthews is her skill at creating complicated relationships that you still root for, and Lily showcases that ability through both the romantic and the familial relationships. Everyone makes mistakes that in a lesser book would be unforgivable, but here, they are simply human. Their mistakes are not minimized or swept away but made amends for and forgiven. And as they work to become better people, you root for them all the more.
And speaking of romance, I’d be remiss not to talk more about Ann and Hart. I really love these two. Their chemistry is tangible, their exchanges rich with fun and drama by turns, and their personalities are matched perfectly to bring out the best in each other (once they can finally see past their own hurt, of course). She brings stability and he brings fun, and most of all, they can lean on each other now in a way they weren’t prepared for in their youth. It’s easy to mourn what might have been if they weren’t parted in the past, but it’s also easy to see that neither of them was ready to accept and share the burdens of another person at that point. Now, they can meet in a true partnership.
If you are sensing shades of Persuasion, you’re absolutely right. And I love it.
This book also gives us more of Stella and introduces Teddy Hayes, of the Parish Orphans series, to these books. We only got a couple of glimpses of him, but it was nice to finally get to know Stella better. I can’t wait to see how our two artists fair together in The Muse of Maiden Lane.
My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
–b
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