I received a copy of Mimi Matthews’ A Convenient Fiction for review purpose. As always, this review reflects only my honest feelings on the book.
A Convenient Fiction
by Mimi Matthews
Publication Date: October 22, 2019
Perfectly Proper Press
Series: Parish Orphans of Devon, Book 3
Genre: Historical Romance
The mysterious Alex Archer returns to England in Book 3 of Mimi Matthews’ USA Today bestselling Parish Orphans of Devon series.
She Needed A Husband…
It’s been three years since Laura Hayes’s father died, leaving her and her invalid brother to subsist on the income from the family’s failing perfume business. But time is swiftly running out. What she needs is a husband, and fast. A noble gentleman who can rescue them all from penury. When a mysterious stranger arrives in the village, he seems a perfect candidate. But Alex Archer is no hero. In fact, he just might be the opposite.
He Wanted a Fortune…
Alex has no tolerance for sentiment. He’s returned to England for one reason only: to find a wealthy wife. A country-bred heiress in Surrey seems the perfect target. But somewhere between the village railway station and the manor house his mercenary plan begins to unravel. And it’s all the fault of Laura Hayes–a lady as unsuitable as she is enchanting.
From the beaches of Margate to the lavender fields of Provence, a grudging friendship slowly blossoms into something more. But when scandal threatens, can a man who has spent his entire life playing the villain, finally become a hero? Or will the lure of easy riches once again outweigh the demands of his heart?
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My Review
Before diving in…
I’d read & reviewed Mimi Matthews’ The Matrimonial Advertisement a while back, but missed the second in the Parish Orphans of Devon series, A Modest Independence. Even so, I was incredibly excited to have the chance to review the third book in the series, A Convenient Fiction.
Having just finished this novel, I do wish I’d read the second (and will have to try to get my hands on a copy to do just that!) or at least had made time to reread the first before diving in. Because it’s been some time since I first read The Matrimonial Advertisement, I wished I’d had a more recent refresher to bring that familiarity more freshly to mind. But, nevertheless, A Convenient Fiction is a lovely read and definitely works as a stand-alone novel, should you find yourself with a copy of this book and not the two prior.
Without question, Mimi Matthews is a name to watch in historical romance. Between what I’ve read of her work myself and what I’ve heard from others (check out the other stops in the A Convenient Fiction blog tour linked below!), there’s no doubt that readers love her books—myself included!
A Convenient Fiction
And, with that in mind, I can’t say I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. It took me a bit longer than I’d hoped to read, but only because I digital copies read much more slowly than print. But even with the longer-than-average reading time on my part, I feel like I’ve read this novel in one enthralled sitting. Even when I wasn’t actively reading, this book was still on my mind.
I wasn’t particularly fond of Alex at the novel’s start and, at first, I wasn’t sure of how I felt about Laura either. But as the pair learnt more about one another, I learned to love them, too. Their romance quite literally drew me in along the way.
Of course, part of the mastery of Matthews’ work is the world she builds up beyond that of the primary couple. Whether it’s the characters we’ve met in earlier portions of the series or the places we go along the way, I think this beautiful world within each book’s pages is my favourite part of a Mimi Matthews book, and what keeps me wanting to read each one she’s written. Henrietta’s wishing bridge is a particularly standout example from just the first few chapters of this book!
A Convenient Fiction is a must-read for any fan of this series, of Mimi Matthews, or of the genre. I’ll definitely be rereading from the start (and filling myself in on book two!) as soon as I can, and I can’t wait to see what’s next from this brilliant author!
Praise for the Parish Orphans of Devon series
“For this impressive Victorian romance, Matthews crafts a tale that sparkles with chemistry and impresses with strong character development… an excellent series launch that will appeal to fans of Loretta Chase and Stephanie Laurens.” ‑Publishers Weekly (The Matrimonial Advertisement)
“Matthews has a knack for creating slow-building chemistry and an intriguing plot with a social history twist.” ‑Library Journal (The Matrimonial Advertisement)
“As always, Matthews’ attention to historical accuracy is impeccable.” ‑Kirkus Reviews (A Modest Independence)
“Mimi Matthews is an exceptional story-teller.” ‑Passages to the Past (The Matrimonial Advertisement)
“Matthews is a bright, shining star in historical romance…” ‑Austenprose (A Modest Independence)
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews (A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Fashion and Beauty, The Matrimonial Advertisement) writes both historical non-fiction and traditional historical romances set in Victorian England. Her articles on nineteenth century history have been published on various academic and history sites, including the Victorian Web and the Journal of Victorian Culture, and are also syndicated weekly at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes an Andalusian dressage horse, two Shelties, and two Siamese cats.
For more information, please visit Mimi Matthews’ website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, BookBub, Pinterest, Google+, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Tuesday, October 22
Review at Courtney Clark
Wednesday, October 23
Review at The Lit Bitch
Thursday, October 24
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books
Friday, October 25
Review at Bookish Rantings
Monday, October 28
Review at Amy’s Booket List
Friday, November 1
Feature at View from the Birdhouse
Monday, November 4
Review at Austenprose
Wednesday, November 6
Review at Passages to the Past
Saturday, November 9
Review at Robin Loves Reading
Monday, November 11
Review at Lost_in_a_book_reviewer
Wednesday, November 13
Review at For the Sake of Good Taste
Friday, November 15
Review at Coffee and Ink
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a signed paperback copy of A Convenient Fiction by Mimi Matthews! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on November 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
A Convenient Fiction