A cozy Victorian Christmas novella. Sophie is the daughter of a broke baronet who’s pushing her to marry a rich tradesman. At first the man seems cold and indifferent. But as she gets to know Ned better, she realizes there might be more to him than the bottom line.

I am a fan of North and South, so naturally I enjoyed the parallels to the classic novel. A haughty rich man, his calculating mother, and a young woman in reduced circumstances who is intrigued by the man in spite of herself.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Dear reader, please keep in mind that this is a chaste story, with only a few kisses on page; also, there’s mention of a stillbirth (potentially miscarriage) and infant mortality.

First things first: I am not a fan of Christmas stories. Like, at all. However, here the setting is a house party, which happens to take place during the holiday, rather than one laden with the “miracle” of “the season” and so on. And, while there’s a vicar present during the festivities, the only mention of him speaking is in reference to the recent death of Prince Albert and to Queen Victoria’s mourning.

With that out of the way…

The first chapter is an example of a masterful, economic setting up of the conflict and introduction ot the characters. We learn a lot about each of them, enough to realize their main problem is that they don’t know each other–just as the relationship between them is ended.

Except, not quite.

Oh, there’s so much goodness in here!

Our heroine is 23, the eldest daughter of an impoverished baronet whose only claim to greatness is his family’s ancestral state. Sophie has long known that her duty is to marry money, which will allow her younger sister to marry up, and to marry for love, and which will ensure her father has the means to continue “modernizing” the estate. She doesn’t expect undying love and devotion, but she hopes for liking and affection.

Agency and independence ahoy!

While she feels attracted to Mr Edward Sharpe, Sophie has come to realize that, after two months of frequent, if not constant, interactions, she knows as little about him as she did on the first day. Being a sensible person, decides to end the association, and save everyone involved time and effort.

For his part, Edward is not just “in trade”. An only child, he was raised in Cheapside, where his parents still reside. Without a strike of sheer luck, in the form of an investment that paid off, he would still be working at his parents’ draper shop, rather than owning interest in cotton mills and railroads.

At 31, Edward has idly considered the issue of marriage, but a casual introduction to Sophie moves him to act. She’s “a beautiful creature” (nod to Gaskell's _North and South_) for sure, but much more importantly, her bearing and carriage proclaim a depth of character that attracts him deeply.

The thing is, he’s just as aware of the class difference between them; Sophie’s father makes no secret that Edward’s fortune is the only thing that renders him acceptable to pay his addresses to the daughter of a baronet, even one in dire financial straits. Utmost adherence to the formalities seems the safest course of action, lest his lack of pedigree and education put the lady off.

Only, the lady was apparently put off anyway.

And it’s here that things turn really interesting.

Sophie begins to regret ending the courtship almost as soon as she does. The more time passes, the more she regrets missing the potential within the potential that their courtship represented. And so, she concocts a plan: going to his place of business, she invites Edward to attend the Christmas house party he had originally been invited to, on the condition that they’ll be candid with each other, rather than continue hiding behind the rigid façade of high society manners that has so far acted as a barrier between them.

That conversation is fantastic. There’s so much character development happening there, so many subtle undercurrents in phrasing and posture and gesture.

The use of deep point of view in the writing is fantastic. We see things from Sophie’s perspective, then from Edward’s, as they happen, without spending pages upon pages on navel gazing. Their relationship develops organically, and though the time span in the novella is fairly short, by the end it is easy to believe that Sophie and Edward will have a happy marriage, one where they’ll love an talk to each other.

The language is lovely; there’s enough in the formal structure of the dialogue, both between the characters and internal, to situate the story in the Victorian era, without making it artificially inaccessible.

And there’s so much story, packed in relatively few pages!

A world that’s changing rapidly while simultaneously clinging to the ‘glorious traditions’ of an Empire already in decline.

The very real sacrifices it meant for young ladies of the lower gentry to marry money. The daughter of a duke might marry for money and continue to be accepted in society; the daughter of a baronet won security for her family and earned shunning by her relatives and friends for herself.

The very real price paid by a wealthy man “marrying up”, knowing that his money was the sum total of his worth to his in-laws–and often, also to his wife–who rarely felt the need to hide their blue-blooded disdain for his person, feelings or dignity.

The family ties that mean the less-pretty, more pragmatic daughter knows her sister’s happiness is more cherished by her family than her own. The amorphous hopes for a future that crystallize on one person, only to realize there’s so much more beyond the image. The tensions of a class rising in power against one losing its influence as it had long lost most of its wealth.

And, for those of you who prefer a lot of heat in their romance: the few kisses in this story pack a lot more heat than some quite graphic full-length novels do, because there’s a lot of tension, attraction, desire, and restraint behind them.

I have too many books already in the TBR print and digital cordilleras of doom, to rush off to buy all of Ms Matthews’ backlist, but I’ll say I already bought another of her books.

“A Holiday by Gaslight” gets 9.50 out of 10.

A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

I've tried to read this two different times in two different years, and I just can't click with it so I will be setting it aside and not reviewing it further. I do love the cover! Thank you so much for the opportunity!

I received an e-ARC from the Publisher via Netgalley though all thoughts are my own.

This was a fairly quick read of a book with three short stories included. I enjoyed each of them and I loved the romance as they were all unique while being set around Christmas time.

I'm so glad that I read this collection of short stories and would love to read more by this author.

Beautifully written Victorian holiday romance. The cover is gorgeous as well as the writing. A last change for love at the holidays leaves you will a warm holiday feeling.

A sweet romance novella set in Victorian times, this is the story of Sophie and Edward, and how they found love and partnership.

I fell in love right along with Sophie. That's truly astounding for a reader. A love that grows and is so gentle that your heart soars for the main characters.

When Sophie's parents arrange for a wealthy gentleman to court her, she tries to make it work at first. However, Edward seems distant and uninterested in her personally. Fearing that it's just a business arrangement, Sophie breaks the courtship. When she sees that she has hurt Edward, Sophie agrees to try again, as long as they are candid with each other. Soon they are enjoying their time together, but Sophie's father is determined keep spending money on the estate and her sister Emily is flirting with Edward's friend Warren. It will be a Christmas to remember at Appersett House!

I enjoyed this Christmas story set in Victorian England very much. The romance was sweet and the Christmas setting was perfectly delightful. There were some great quotes about life and relationships that I highlighted as I read, and the realistic story and characters came to life from the pages. Edward and Sophie were my favorite characters, and their perseverance in spite of the odds was inspiring. This is a great, clean read for the holiday season, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and purchased a copy through Amazon. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I loved the regency time period and all of the characters. It was a fabulous book and I will read more from this author in the future.

I love everything this author has published. A lovely short novel set in Victorian England, with all the Victorian Christmas traditions, with a charming romance. I really warmed to both the protagonists.

A beautiful story centered around my favourite time of year. A bit of enemies to lovers with a bit of angst. Enough to leave you with all the feels for this beautiful romance. Read it!

Blurb:

Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He’s grim and silent. A man of little emotion—or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she’s ready to put an end to things.

But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn’t as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there’s Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What’s a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there’ll be no false formality. This time they’ll get to know each other for who they really are.

No one does victorian romance like Mimi! It was a cozy and romantic world that begged for a cup of cocoa and a hot fire. Her unparalleled research and her ability to create sparks with a glance or a brush of a hand is what keeps readers absolutely addicted.


I immediately purchased a copy.

I received a reviewer copy of A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews from the publisher Perfectly Proper Press from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Ned has been enchanted with Sophia since he saw her at a party. Knowing her family is financially bankrupt, he asks to court Sophia knowing he is only being considered because of his wealth. He is from a lower class and desperate to impress Sophia buys an etiquette book, but all Sophia wants is to know him. Convinced he's cold, she ends things but Sophia gives him one more chance to charm her over Christmas.

What I Loved: This cute little book was exactly what I needed. The writing was spot-on, the characters were super likeable, and the romance was a great speed.. I loved the fact that it was sent in Victorian England and I really felt like I was in Victorian England. I really loved the 'love match' between Ned and Sophia. It is wonderful to see a man encouraging a woman's brain and independence. Sophia was a wonderful lead thoughtful, cared about her family but also her happiness, it was great! Also not too cheesy.

What I Didn't Like So Much: I wish it wasn't a novella. I wish we had more time with the characters and to develop the storyline. I wish we'd gotten a bit more banter. This was just to say that I was upset it was a novella but there's nothing to be done about that other than to read more of the author's work.

Who Should Read This: People who love historical romance. People who loved Bringing Down the Duke and To Have and to Hoax but wanted a more PG less steamy version. People who love Christmas romance.

Quick Summary: A short and sweet historical romance!

what an amazing book!! The author is a master of creating stories and characters. I will definitively be reading books of this author!! Great job.

I really enjoyed this novella. I must admit I went into this knowing nothing but it was a Christmas novella and the cover was gorgeous! Look at it. So lovely! I fell in love with the story and with Ned and Sophie. The only complaint was that I wanted more of them and the beginning was a little slow.

Holiday by Gaslight is a perfectly romantic, historical epic. I loved every single page and getting lose in the world that the story built. Five stars!

This was just such a sweet little romance! Ned is a delightful hero, so respectful of Sophie that he almost loses her. It made him feel relatable and more real, that he is super successful and yet becomes tongue-tied when around the girl he’s courting because he’s so worried of saying the wrong thing.

Sophie, on the other hand, is looking for a man who sees her as something more than an object to be obtained—someone who actually sees and likes her for herself. After several months of her suitor barely speaking two words to her, she feels like he isn’t even interested in her and resolves to break it off.

The second chance comes when he goes to their country estate for a Christmas party and Sophie makes him promise to be honest with her. As they begin to learn how to communicate with each other, it gets so sweet.

Further, I enjoyed the little tidbits on gaslight production. Having been in a home still plumbed for gas from the 1880s a few months back and seen the original fixtures in action, I was slightly surprised to hear that propane doesn’t burn hot enough and that “coal oil” would have been brighter. I’d never heard of coal oil before, and no one really knew how it was produced, though the old-timers also on the tour said it somehow came from coal. This book gave a few more hints of how that would have been achieved, and having seen dimmer propane in action gave a great relevance to this mention of gaslight. It’s a nice warm light, quite enough to read and see by, but without the glare of modern lights.

Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. The review is based off a finished copy I own in paperback.

A Holiday By Gaslight was an absolute joy to read. I loved the premise for the story beginning with a refusal of a suitor followed by a change of heart by the heroine who decides to start again and take a bit more time and effort to learn whether she and her former suitor are, in fact, suited for each other or not. I tore through this story and loved the fuzzy feelings I felt reading it as our main love interests came to know each other better and opened their minds and hearts to each other. As I finished this story I found myself putting on North & South in the background to support my mood, only to learn after completing the book that the author points out the North & South similarity’s that fans may have noted. I hadn’t stopped to think about the similarities, but I certainly felt them in the characters and the story. Richard Armitage’s John Thornton was certainly brought to mind as I read A Holiday By Gaslight. This was a completely enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from Mimi Matthews!

I loved this novella! It's sweet and perfect for the Christmas season. I loved the main characters. It's been a while since I read something written about the Regency period, and I really enjoyed it.

I would like to thank netgalley and Perfectly Proper Press for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked that the MC's came from two different classes of people, but would have liked to get to know the two MC's better.