I only discovered Mimi Matthews this year but as her books are always delightful I couldn't wait for her take on Christmas. A Holiday by Gaslight did not disappoint. It is a lovely gentle romance that of course takes place in winter. I loved the little details dropped in the story that you'd expect of a Victorian Christmas such as a passing reference to A Christmas Carol. As this is a novella we don't get quite enough of the main characters, Sophie and Ned, but we do get to follow their romance from it's rather bumpy beginnings through to it's Christmas conclusion. This is a light but thoroughly enjoyable read perfect for Christmas.

This is a first for me by this author.

A Courtship of Convenience
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.

A Last Chance for Love
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.

At 175 pages this was a quick easy read Novella... but not short on details... I thoroughly enjoyed it.
My first Historical Romance in a while and I loved every bit of it.

Once I started I couldn't put it down... A story about discovery and love. Great to sit down with a nice hot cup of tea on these colder nights.

I look forward to reading more of Mimi's work.

Thank-You Netgalley for my ARC.

WHAT a charming book! Thank you to Netgalley and Perfectly Proper Press for giving me a sneak peek at A HOLIDAY BY GASLIGHT.

Set in England in the late 1800’s, Sophie Appersett is the eldest daughter of a baronet who is slowly leading them to financial ruin all to make their country home a showplace. With no dowry – daddy spent it all on home repairs – Sophie is resigned to the fact she will need to marry a rich man, probably one out of her class, in order to provide a future for her family. When a rich tradesman, Ned Sharpe, shows interest in courting her, but nothing else, Sophie does the unthinkable and tells him she doesn’t think they “suit.” Ned’s quiet and sever ways have her thinking she could never love him, no matter how rich he is.

When she decides to give him a second chance, inviting him and his family to the Appersett traditional Christmas festivities, she begins to realize how wrong she was about him. She also comes to realize how much she has hurt him by telling him she didn’t think she could ever like him.

Will Ned forgive her? Will he propose and help pull her family out of their destined penury?

This book was a delightful read on all counts. The English countryside in winter was described beautifully, the arcs of both characters were fully filled, and the writing was descriptive and visually evocative.

I’ve never read anything by Mimi Matthews before, but I will be from now on.
The books is fairly short – I was able to finish it in a few hours – but well worth the read.

4 stars to this charming holiday love story.

A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews is a novella set in England beginning in November 1861. Sophie Appersett is breaking off her courtship with Ned Sharpe as she believes they are not suited for each other and that they will never be even friends. The two were matched by her father as the family is in dire financial straits and Ned has the monetary means to assist them. Later she realizes she does care for this quiet, reserved man and wants to actually get to know him. Will he be willing to try again? She invites him to spend Christmas at her family’s estate along with his parents and many other guests both noble and, as Ned’s family, working class. Will and engagement be announced?
I enjoyed this story very much. It is a nice romantic holiday read. The Appersett’s have gaslights in their home which would have been extremely expensive and almost unheard of back then. I did not like Sophie’s father at all; I felt was very selfish and disrespectful to his family. In the end he redeems himself a bit. The other characters are all very likeable and feel like you know them. I give this book 5 of 5 stars for the writing and surprise at the end.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Sophie Appersett is twenty three and unmarried, a daughter of the nobility she is willing to marry Mr. Edward Sharpe a self made man wealthy but common to give her family financial security. Theirs is a courtship beset by poor advice from a worthless courtship manual which leads to a lack of honest communication. Sophie mistaking Edward's reticence for a lack of affection on his part and calls off their engagement. When a national tragedy sets forth a cascade of events Sophie and Edward intend to spend the Christmas Holidays together with their families in an attempt at a true courtship. Will the holiday spirit bring them together or prove that theirs was a marriage not meant to be. I loved this book. Sophie and Edward people from different class and backgrounds attempts to reach each other are quite sweet. They are people at a crossroads in terms of society and class where Sophie's ties to the noble class are useful but her family's financial situation aren't on par with the new wealth being attained by people in trade. They are two people trying to find love in a new world across a class divide that would have made their courtship impossible a generation before. They are people who might like each other if they could talk to each other and find love if they can honestly communicate with each other.

I received this ARC yesterday and I am so glad I got the chance to read it, I actually finished it in one day. A victorian christmas novella, that leaves the reader wanting more. Well written and engaging, thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Holiday by Gaslight is the perfect Victorian Christmas romance! The writing is superb, and I loved the attention to historical detail. You will love reading about Sophie (an independent woman who enjoys reading the works of Charles Darwin and isn't sure she wants to marry) and Ned (the wealthy tradesman). Thank you to Netgalley for the free preview!

What a wonderful Christmas novella! It's well written, engaging and entertaining.
I loved the style of writing, the literary undertone and the characters. The setting was well researched.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

Can anyone guess what made me pick up this lovely little historical Christmas romance? If you guessed the stunning cover then you would be very much correct. And I know they say don’t judge a book by it’s cover but I always hope when I catch one like this that it does live up to it’s beauty.

Sophie Appersett comes from an upper class family however Sophie’s father has overspent the family fortune upgrading with the inventions of the times. Who could resist gas lines to your own homes or running water in a time it was barely imaginable? Well, the progress made cost quite the sum so Sophie knows she needs to marry into wealth.

Mr. Edward Sharpe is not of Sophie’s family’s class but a tradesman who came from poorer background. Ned however could be the answer to Sophie’s dilemma however the two don’t suite during their two month courtship but just as Sophie is calling it off she begins to wonder if she shouldn’t give him another chance to win her heart.

A Holiday By Gaslight was a sweet romance that really incorporated the progress of the late 19th century into the story setting the stage. The couple was very likable once they began to really show their own personalities to one another with Sophie being quite a strong minded woman for her time. This being a novella it was a pretty short story but the author did pack a lovely romance onto it’s pages that I do think historical readers will enjoy.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Matthews and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The beautiful cover first drew my eye and as I dove into the story, Sophie and Ned came alive. She, the dutiful daughter, willing to marry someone with money to help save the family and Ned Sharpe, the wealthy tradesman, trying to break into polite society. Both Sophie and Ned had an innocence about them as they progressed through the trials and tribulations of courtship and it was so endearing. He was so serious and reserved and she was the chatterbox trying to fill the silence. What neither of them realized is that if they just relaxed a bit and showed their true colors, things would have gone much smoother for them. I did not particularly like Sophie's sister Emily. She was much too spoiled and cared only for herself. I suppose there were many young debutantes that grew up that way, but Emily's views on tradesmen was over the top.

I look forward to reading more books by Ms. Matthews.

Sophie Appersett, ever the dutiful Victorian era daughter, is willing to marry to support her family rather than for love. Convinced that Edward Sharpe is too stern and serious for her, she decides to break off their engagement. After a few days, however, she changes her mind and realizes that there may be more to Ned Sharpe than meets the eye. She impulsively invites Ned and his parents to her family’s country home for the holidays in an effort to get to know him better. A Holiday by Gaslight is a charming novella that warmed on me as I read the story. I loved the hints of historical events and how the story felt authentically Victorian. Those details brought the story to life and made the characters seem more real. That being said, this is slow burn romance that may move too leisurely for some readers. For those willing to give it a chance, they will be treated to a charming book that’s perfect for the holiday season!

woke up to snow this October 20th morning and decided to turn to this Christmas novella. Well, Sophie and Ned won me over and I was highly entertained. I picked up on the Elizabeth Gaskell North and South undertones which the author acknowledges in her afterword. This little gem is soon leaving NetGalley. Type fast to request!

Thanks to @netgalley and Perfectly Proper Press for the review copy of this e-book. A HOLIDAY BY GASLIGHT will be available November 13!

4.5 stars. Love! This Christmas novella was the PERFECT way to kick off my holiday reading. I won’t lie – that cover is 100% what drew me to this book in the first place. It is GORGEOUS! But the story more than delivered and I loved every minute. At only 175 pages, it was a quick and wholly satisfying read, but never felt rushed. The characters were well developed and the plot was carefully laid out. I immediately found myself rooting for the two main characters, and I love that they were rooting for themselves, too. I don’t read a lot of romance (or any really, unless there’s also a mystery involved!), but this tender, sweet story definitely makes me want to visit some of Mimi Matthews’s other books.

Sophie comes from a titled, well-respected, but utterly broke family. Ned is a wealthy London merchant who just may be the salvation of Sophie’s family. But Sophie cannot imagine herself marrying someone she doesn’t love or even like, someone who apparently feels nothing for her at all. Or does he? Sophie thought breaking their courtship was the right thing to do, but she can’t seem to rid herself of some lingering hope…

The English countryside at Christmastime is the perfect setting for this love story to unfold, and the historical tidbits were a wonderful addition to the story. A holiday must-read!

I can’t say enough about how wonderful Ms. Matthews stories are. Holiday by Gaslight is a wonderful Christmas novella with Ms. Matthews trademark touches – warm, believable characters; interesting dialogue; genuine chemistry, and nice period detail.

Sophie Appersett is the elder daughter of a proud baronet who has all the bloodlines and not much of the blunt. In fact, he has spent his daughter’s dowry on installing gas lighting at the family estate. Sophie needs to make an advantageous marriage for the benefit of her family.

Edward Sharpe is a well to do business man with very humble origins who would like to marry well to cement his place in society.

They have been enduring a stilted courtship but agree to try to get to know one another better, and see if their relationship could possibly work, at the Appersett’s family Christmas party. What follows is a charming story of a sweet courtship between two very lovely characters.

This was a delight to read from beginning to end. Highly recommended. 5 stars.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie is the daughter of an impoverished peer and Edward is a nouveau riche businessman trying to court her. From the outside it seems like an arrangement typical of the time: he wants the respectability of being close to a title, she wants money to keep her family afloat. Each thinks that's what the other is after, even though both of them really want a loving marriage. So of course their courtship is a stiff and formal flop. The book opens with Sophie ending things, only to be pressured into reconsidering and giving Edward another chance. But with one caveat: no more distant formality. She invites him to the family's holiday house party and by the end of the week, they'll either be engaged or part ways for real.


There was a lot going on in such a short book, so many small character things that were conveyed with a beautiful economy that made the story feel rich. Sophie herself is a great character right from the get-go; she's got a strong love for her family and a practical streak but she knows how to set boundaries and doesn't let practicality mean 'no dreams.' Edward is frikkin adorable with how hard he tries to fit into Sophie's world, not realizing that all his attempts at being proper is what's putting her off. Sophie's family is great, too, and I loved the dynamic between Sophie and her also-practical mother, contrasted with her father and her sister who are both frivolous. But even those characters have depth to them, and oh lordy the scene where her father explains why he's so obsessed with the house actually made me stop reading and have to process for a minute. Nothing is really delved into very deeply, but you can still tell that all these big character motivations are going on just under the surface, touched on when they need to be for the plot but not distracting when they don't. It's a really great example of how to have vibrant side characters in a novella and I loved it.

(to be published on the blog Nov 5)

5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy Christmas fiction and/or proper romance.

I absolutely adored this novella. It was everything I like in a historical proper romance: bantery, swoony, slow burn, and featuring an independent and intelligent female lead! I loved that Edward and Sophie had such good banter, and that they were occasionally grumpy with each other... though I would not classify this as a hate-to-love type of relationship. I loved all of the Christmassy elements involved in this book, but to see how it fit the Victorian period. How fun to imagine searching the grounds for holly, greenery, a yule log, and mistletoe, having a Christmas ball, or sleigh rides. There were so many parts of this book that were just too darn swoony. I could not even. BRB, adding all Mimi Matthews books to my TBR.

First things first, this is a novella and not a full-length novel but don't let that stop you from reading it. Since this is a romance, it just means you get to the part where the couple makes out way quicker! A Holiday by Gaslight is a delightful holiday read and one I am so glad I found. But now, let's get to the review!

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

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.

A Last Chance for Love

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.

Sophie has broken her engagement with Edward Sharpe. While his wealth would help her family immensely (her father and sister spend money like its water), she could not handle his dark, stiff, and silent demeanor for the rest of her life. He is handsome as hell, but the dude never smiles!

That being said, she is not above giving someone a second chance and after her parents learn that she broke off the engagement, they are quite upset, and when she reflects back on the how Edward acted when she told him she wanted to end things, she decides to give it another go. And when Sophie decides to do something, she doesn't do it  in halves.

So, what does she do? She goes to Edward's place of business (omg, he's a merchant! what will society think?!) by herself!! (she brings her sister and a maid but they leave before anyone answers the door) and tells Edward in his office that she wants to try again. 

Little does she know that Edward could not be happier. He may not be in love with her quite yet but he was heartbroken when she called off the engagement. But then why has he been acting like such a stick in the mud?? Well, Edward has been taking his dating/courting advice from an etiquette book he found. Needless to say, it was not the resource he should have been using. (THROW OUT THE BOOK, EDWARD!)

So, Sophie suggests that he come to her parent's holiday excursion in the country and if they don't feel some sort of spark by the end of the trip, then they can call off the engagement for real.

What happens after that is a delightful, romantic, swoon-worthy story about how Edward and Sophie come to care about, respect, and perhaps even love one another over the days they spend at her family's estate.

Edward is such a mess and I love him for it. For supposedly not knowing how to woo a girl, he does a pretty great job of it. And Sophie is an utter delight. As soon as she marched her way to Edward's business, society be damned, I knew she was my kind of lady.

Of course, there are plenty of miscommunications and doubts along the way but the couple is still able to come together by the end. A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews was so much fun to read and don't worry about this being a shorter book, she absolutely had me invested in the characters from the first couple of pages. Add this one to your TBR, bookworms. If you're travelling for the holidays or are just in the mood for something a little Christmas-y, read this lovely story.

A Holiday By Gaslight by Mimi Matthew comes out November 13, 2018.

Thank you to NetGalley and Perfectly Proper Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sophie had the best thought, putting an end to the cold courting going on with her and Edward Sharpe. But her father outrage and her mother kind but subtle meddling gave her room for thought and what she realized was that she didn’t know anything about Ned which was enough to make her do the unthinkable. Edward was at complete odds as to what happened, he followed the edit in the etiquette book for men to the letter yet it failed him, but Sophie impromptu visit gave him hope. What a tangled mess these two found themselves in, but miracles indeed happened at Christmas. I think a little more excitement on the kissing side was needed, you know a bit more, humph, nonetheless this was an enjoyable and entertaining read.

A historical romance Christmas novella set in London and Derbyshire in 1861. A wonderful cover. All things that I love in a good cosy read.

Still, I struggled with this book. The main characters felt wooden to me, I could not connect to them. Since that rubbed me the wrong way, a few things, like phrases, name changes, that really stuck out to me.

This was a charming and fun Holiday read! Ms Matthews always weaves such a good tale.
The characters were fleshed out and believable, the plot was well timed and I loved the whole ambiance of the novel.