England, 1859 I felt as if I had tumbled back into one of the great classic novels with such amazing prose that I felt transported to that time and place. The descriptions of the characters and their dialogue came off the page opened up my mind. After reading the first book in this series, I could not wait to read this one and it pulled me in quickly.
Fortuitously, Jenny Holloway, a former ladies maid now had some funds to become independent. She had dreamed of seeing the world and having an adventure outside of England. But she also wanted to find out what happened to her friend the Earl of Castleton by going to India. So she first had to go the her solicitor Tom Finchley to release the funds. Tom is taken with Jenny and sees her as a kindred spirit and friend and decides spontaneously to escort her on her journey!
Thus starts the building of a wonderful friendship of two people who did not grow up in the best of circumstances but have found themselves enjoying each other and life.
This book pulled me with the brilliant words of this author who has created a lovely romance that took it's time to build which was all the more sweet. I highly recommend and know that you wil thank me once you have turned the last page!

The sequel to Matthews' "The Matrimonial Advertisement", "A Modest Independence follows Jenny and Tom as they travel to India looking for the story behind the death of Jenny's cousin. Careful research was obviously put into looking up the travel and accommodations throughout Egypt and India and I found these parts of the book enjoyable. I thought the relationship between Jenny and Tom dragged- both kept pulling away from even talking too much about their feelings and neither really takes time to look closely at what the want out of life instead of what they think they want out of life. There didn't seem to be much chemistry for me between the two- I think they were better in "The Matrimonial Advertisement"- although I liked how they were clearly able to see into the other person. Not too much grabbed me about the characters here, and halfway into the book I was definitely ready for either the pace to pick up (it doesn't) or the two characters to accept that they love each other and figure out the rest later, and together. But both are stubborn and independent and it took a lot longer than it should have to get there. An ok book, but "The Matrimonial Advertisement" was better to my mind.

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

The second book in the Parish Orphans of Devon series is a historical romance road trip novel with an intriguing premise.

Starting in Victorian-era London, England we meet spirited heroine Jenny Holloway who has recently come into a small fortune. Determined to remain independent and never marry, she wishes to travel to India to find the Earl of Castleton, the missing brother of the woman who gave her a modest independence. Her attorney Tom Finchley, who holds her purse strings, is concerned for her safety and hesitant to release her funds so she can take the trip. Raised in a Devon orphanage, he is a self-made man who now has a very prosperous London practice. We were introduced to this couple as supporting characters in the first book in the series, The Matrimonial Advertisement, Tom harbors feelings for Jenny and decides to travel with her to protect her, help her find the missing brother, and explore the possibility of a romance.

A Modest Independence is not only adventurous, but it is also astounding. The historical detail of travel in the Victorian-era and British Colonial India is beautifully incorporated into the story. Their prickly relationship is at times endearing and annoying, There is a lot of back and forth in this slow-burning romance. I also appreciated the author giving us a creative story outside the usual romance trope.

I have read previous novels and short stories by Matthews which I enjoyed very much. Her writing in A Modest Independence was both smooth, and at times rough. Some of the premises and plot points required one to disarm reproof, but overall I enjoyed it. Matthews is a bright, shining star in historical romance and I look forward to the next installment in the series.

Ms. Matthews has done extensive research on Victorian times and British Colonial India. That research is apparent throughout the book and brings to life the era for the reader. Jenny's trek from England to France to Egypt to finally India is told with vivid atmosphere and interesting side characters. Tom spends most of his journey trying to keep Jenny safe and tamping down his ever growing desire for her. Tom's back story as one of the “orphans” was actually more interesting than Jenny's quest for the Earl, I would have liked more of his story and less of the Jenny/Tom back and forth romantic times that slowed the book to a near crawl in the middle. I liked the first book in this series, THE MATRIMONIAL ADVERTISEMENT, and I can recommend this book also. I look forward to the next book about Orphan, Alex.

1860 London and Jenny Holloway with her modest inheritance from Lady Helena can now have the adventure that she needs. Not the constricting life of a wife and mother. So she decides to travel to India to locate the missing, presumed dead, brother of her friend Helena. That of Giles 6th Earl of Castleton. But what of solicitor Tom Finchley, what does he want and what is his role on this adventure.
Although these characters briefly appeared in Book One of the series, it can easily be read as a standalone story.
A slow paced, well-written enjoyable romance with a hint of adventure.

The Parish Orphans of Devon series has fast become deliciously addictive for me. A historical fiction with charming, strong characters and suspenseful undertones. This second book in the series continues with Jenny Holloway, former ladies maid. She has now been gifted a modest independence allowing her to no longer need to work but instead travel the world as she always has wishes, namely Colonial India with a man who cannot seem to be without her, one of the Adult Orphans of Devon. I was swept away with the foods, tastes, smells, people and colonial conflicts. Just like Jenny this book is passionate, outspoken and endearing.

“In order to have Tom, she’d have to give up her freedom. The very independence she’d dreamed of for so many years. It was a price she wasn’t willing to pay. Not for him. Not for anyone. But she was tempted. So very, dreadfully tempted.”

This story is everything! *cue all the happy sighs* My heart feels exquisitely satisfied after reading this book, and now I face the somewhat daunting task of trying to put into words all the reasons why.

First the easy part—the fact that this story takes the reader on a Victorian era journey from England to India, evoking all the sights, sounds, and experiences along the way. I’m not sure it’s a journey I would have liked to make in real life, but I loved reading about it! The circumstances of such a trip also provided the ideal backdrop for Tom and Jenny’s story, affording them freedoms that wouldn’t have been enjoyed in their everyday lives in England but also enhancing the tension inherent in their growing attachment to one another.

And that attachment. . . . How can I possibly begin to express it? The most satisfying romance involves so much more than physical attraction. It is care and tenderness; it’s a meeting of minds and souls; it’s mutual respect; in short, it’s companionship on the deepest level possible, and I’m not sure I have ever come across a story that has portrayed that more captivatingly than this one. From the smallest gestures of thoughtfulness or tenderness right through to the soul-puddling kisses, this story had EVERYTHING I love most about romance.

Most refreshingly of all, Tom and Jenny are honest and open with one another from the beginning. About their fondness for one another’s company, about their deepening regard, but also about the impossibility, as they see it, of a marriage between them—she, because she is finally independent, longing to travel and experience adventure, and he because his life is bound up in his employment as a solicitor in London. Attraction they have in spades, but if their lives are not compatible, attraction would eventually turn to resentment, and one of the sweetest things about this story is the way in which Tom—a man whose very livelihood has been made in the practice of using knowledge and circumstances in order to bend people to his clients’ wills—resolutely refuses to wield such power over Jenny.

I could go on. And on, and on, and on. I think I highlighted almost half of this book on my kindle. I will most assuredly be drinking this one in again and again, and I can’t wait for the next in this series.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. A Modest Independence is the second title in the Parish Orphans of Devon series; it can be read as a standalone, but some events and people from the first book in the series play an important role in this title so readers need to keep that in mind when deciding if to read this book without having read the first title. A Modest Independence features Jenny Holloway, a former companion to a relative that had a sum of money settled on her that will allow her to live her life on her on terms provided she doesn't go crazy with spending. Jenny has always dreamed of travel and decides that she must visit India to see if she can determine what happened to her distant cousin the Earl of Castleton who was reported killed during a particularly blood battle in India. First, she needs access to her funds which requires her to meet with Thomas Finchley, who is trustee of her funds. Thomas and Jenny had become friends the previous year, but she was hurt to discover he had motivations other than friendship. Thomas is reluctant for Jenny to undertake the trip, but is convinced she will find a way to go without his assistance so he is better off making sure she has someone to care for by hiring a couple of cousins from India who have less than ideal circumstances in England.


Thomas spent his early years in a miserable orphanage until he was apprenticed to Mr. Fothergill who taught Tom that the needs of clients come first no matter what. Tom has been feeling unfilled representing the wealthy in recent years and has a dream of eventually transitioning to cases of the poor who can't afford representation. Jenny intrigued him from the beginning and when she shows up at his office asking for funds to travel, he takes advantage of the opportunity to travel with her as her brother to make sure she is safe.


The romance develops at a very realistic pace and the characters come to really know each other of the course of the extended trip that includes time traveling through Egypt and multiple areas in Indian until Castleton's ultimate is finally revealed. The author does a good job of describing the various locales and to this reader avoids viewing Britain's rule of Egypt and India as only positive. There is an interesting thread at the end of what happened to one of the other parish orphans that I can't wait to see where it leads in the next book. Overall, I think readers who appreciate a slow burn and n0n-European settings will enjoy this title.

An honestly refreshing take on a woman craving adventure in a time before it was socially acceptable. Jenny decides to take a journey now that she has the means and Tom can't just let her go on her own. He resolves to let her have her independence, within reasonable limits, without forcing her steps. Along the way, a friendship develops with a slow burn for more, though both commit to exploring each other with no strings attached. Neither Jenny or Tom want to change who they are for the other person, but they learn they can't live without the other person either. It takes them traveling to the other side of the world to realize their most important top priorities. Candid conversations about heart's desires, raw passion and adventures in traveling around the world make this a must read. The characters stayed with me for days afterwards, which to me, marks a well written story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Let me first say that I hadn’t read The Matrimonial Advertisement when I requested an arc for A Modest Independence. I was sold on the book editorials for both stories and my GR friends’ high ratings for Ms. Matthews’ other romances. I assumed I would like Thomas Finchley and Jenny Holloway when they were first introduced in The Matrimonial Advertisement. Tom oozed a quiet strength and sensibility. Jenny was opinionated and somewhat sharp. Unfortunately, whereas I enjoyed Justin Thornhill’s and Helena Reynold’s romance, I found I liked Tom’s and Jenny’s less so.

Tom was one of four orphans brought up in Abbott’s Holcombe; Justin Thornhill was another boy. At one point Tom was removed from his friends at the orphanage and raised by Mr. Fothergill, a solicitor. Tom was shy and serious. As he grew up, he put the importance of law first in his life. Finding someone to love had never been a priority.

When he met Jenny, she was unlike any other woman he had known. In his eyes, she was both strong and beautiful. He felt a deep purpose to help her fulfill any of her wishes. And he did in The Matrimonial Advertisement.

When A Modest Independence opened, Jenny was in need of her monies that her dear friend, Helena, had gifted her. And Tom controlled. She intended to travel to India to find Helena’s brother, Giles. Believed to be dead, she had surmised her own opinion and intended to discover the truth.

Jenny and Tom had two things in common: a new-found thirst for freedom and a dream to start their lives anew. Tom inveigled his way into her journey.

I found their story incorporated quite a bit of talking. I knew they had strong, romantic feelings for each other but their actual communication was anything but. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of small pieces of evidence. And now that I think of it, they came mostly from Tom. But the words they spoke- what the other remembered hearing- was ”affection wasn’t enough. Love wasn’t enough. One couldn’t derive happiness entirely from another person, no matter how fond of that other person one might be. In the absence of all else, how long before such fondness turned to bitterness and regret?” Honestly, after this same thought was recited for the umpteenth time, I no longer cared what happened to Jenny or Tom. I struggled to get to the end.

It might be ‘it’s me, not you’ but A Modest Independence was just not on par with The Matrimonial Advertisement. *I received a copy of A Modest Independence through NetGalley for an honest review. I appreciate Mimi Matthews and Perfectly Proper Press for the opportunity to read this story.*

I didn't like this one quite as much as the first of the series, but it was still well-written and the setting was not one used in many stories of that period.

This review will appear on my blog, Foxes and Fairy Tales on Apr 18, 2019.
https://foxesfairytale.wordpress.com/2019/04/18/arc-review-a-modest-independence


Two things first:

1 - Yes, this is the second in Parish Orphans of Devon series, but it follows two supporting characters from the first book so apart from a few mentions, you could read it as a standalone.

2 - I'm convinced Mimi Matthews writes the best historical romance around. The chemistry between the characters is spot on and the historical details are used perfectly to add texture and depth to the story.

A Modest Independence follows Jenny and Tom on a journey from England to India via railways and steamer ships, in search of Lady Helena's missing brother.

As always, the chemistry between the leads is perfect. I shipped them so hard. I loved that both characters are undergoing personal journeys during the trip. I especially like Jenny. She's a great character: brave, independent and fierce. It's fascinating to watch her struggle with finding her place now that she has financial freedom, trying to find a balance between love, societies expectations, wanderlust and her determination not to concede her new freedom to a man. It's feminist in a way that feels completely period appropriate.

The journey across Europe, Egypt and eventually India is wonderfully described, balancing the hardship of the transport with the beauty of the locations. In her foreword, Matthews talks about wanting to pay homage to her Indian grandfather. She absolutely achieves this. You can feel her passion for the country and its people on every page. I was a little skeptical going in as to how the story would be able to follow white, Victorian-era English people into the British Raj. But Matthews doesn't romanticize or exoticize it, she treats the Indian characters as fully fledged personalities and shows the negative effect of the British on both the locals and even the colonial Brits themselves.

An absolute must-read for fans of romance, historicals or both.

This is the second in a series, and foreshadows at least one follow-up story!

I particularly liked the setting of this novel. It was fun to follow Tom and Jenny on their travels to and from India. Mimi Matthews clearly did her research on the transport of the time, and she included a lot of details that make their voyage interesting. I found the love story between the two a little anomalous, in that they were both clearly concerned about propriety, but Tom dropped everything to follow Jenny across two continents with only a minimum of chaperonage. Regardless, I’m always willing to suspend belief in the service of a good love story!

I look forward to what I hope will be a follow-up with Tom and Jenny tracking down the “fourth orphan”.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Solicitor Tom Finchley has spent his life using his devious intellect to solve the problems of others. As for his own problems, they're nothing that a bit of calculated vengeance can't remedy. Former lady's companion Jenny Holloway has just been given a modest independence. Now, all she wants is a bit of adventure. A chance to see the world and experience life far outside the restrictive limits of Victorian England. If she can discover the fate of the missing Earl of Castleton while she's at it, so much the better.
From the gaslit streets of London to the lush tea gardens of colonial India, Jenny and Tom embark on an epic quest--and an equally epic romance.
I never pass on a chance to read one of the author’s books & this didn't disappoint, the second in the series but could easily be read on its own. A captivating read that made me loathe to put it down. A very well written book with delightful well portrayed characters & also a well paced story. I really liked the balance between mystery & romance. I liked both Tom & Jenny & they were so meant to be together I loved the road to their HEA
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Ah, Mimi Matthews, you did it to me again! Grabbed me and pulled me into your story, ripped my heart into pieces, then put it all back together, better than ever. I read the first book in the Parish Orphans of Devon series, and I absolutely loved it. I believed there was no way this one could match the magic of the first; I was totally wrong! Not only was there a beautiful romance, but the author's meticulous research made mid-19th century India and Egypt come alive.

Jenny Holloway, a former lady's companion, and Tom Finchley, a solicitor, were introduced in the previous installment; they became friends. (Don't worry....this story stands alone with no problem.) Jenny's friend/former employer Helena gave Jenny funds so she could be a self-sufficient woman. Jenny is a strong-willed, independent heroine who craves adventure. She decides to travel to India to discover what happened to Helena's brother Giles. He allegedly died in battle, but she feels the need to really find out. Tom is her solicitor and controls her funds. When he discovers her plans, he simply cannot in good conscience let her go alone. On to India!

I really liked Jenny, but it was Tom who grabbed my heart and instilled the book with magic. He wasn't a tall, dark and handsome dashing hero, but was a thoughtful, serious and sometimes ruthless solicitor. Though he was falling for Jenny, he respected her right to be independent, even when the thought of them going their separate ways after their trip ripped his heart in two. His emotions and character made him the most handsome man in any room. He had me sighing throughout the entire story, and unsuccessfully holding back tears during the last third of the book. Ms. Matthews truly writes fascinating heroes and heroines in her books. Their emotions will touch your heart, so much so that you hate the story to end. The next installment cannot come fast enough for me. I am totally smitten with this author's romances.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

A Modest Independence is the second book in the Parish Orphans of Devon. This book features Tom Finchley and Jenny Holloway. This book took the reader from London to India. The author did an amazing job with the descriptions. I felt as if I was on the adventure with them. I enjoyed the story and the characters. The romance is a slow build up. The kisses are swoon worthy. The ending is a very happily ever after. Which I love. This is a clean book and I enjoyed it. Did I like it as well as the Matrimonial Advertisement? Not as much, but it was just different and I'm sure some will like it even better. With that said, I am looking forward to the next book.
*I was given a copy via Netgalley. This is my honest opinion.

Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2019/04/11/a-modest-independence-by-mimi-matthews/)

My Rating: 4 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public library historical romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.


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Number of titles I have read by this author: 5

Love story speed: Slow burn in the will-they-or-won’t-they sense

Relationship dynamics: The Fiesty, Newly Independent Lady (h) / The Crafty Solicitor (H)

Sexual content: None onscreen. Mild, non-explicit description of sex, post-event

Triggers: Some description of war/battle

Grammar/Editing: a number of grammatical and spelling errors, hopefully to be corrected in the published version.

Review: Although well-paced, be ready for extensive description of travel to far-off lands. However, don’t despair: the author is an excellent, practiced hand at getting historical detail as precisely correct as possible and always follows up with notes wherever she has been obliged to change the historical context to suit the narrative.

If you have read the first book in this series, the hero and heroine will not be new to you: Jenny is a fiercely independent former lady’s companion who knows precisely what she wants in life and Tom is a very intelligent, if reserved, solicitor who believes that he has found the life that he is meant for. Jenny and Tom’s romance is a tentative, but passionate one, somewhat fraught with self-doubt and uncertainty on Tom’s part. The author navigates this very well, writing the main characters in a way that allows the reader to feel their emotions and have pangs right along with them. The supporting characters are fascinating, particularly Mira and Ahmed, and though it seems unlikely that either will receive their own books in this series, I would absolutely read them if they appeared.

Travel guide version: Enjoy a slow, steady, and romantic journey across the world while in the relative comfort of your own home, safe in the knowledge that all becomes right in the world for those who venture to travel.

Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought that this was a very unusual concept for a love story that did not quite work. I did not like how they pretended to be siblings. It made it very weird and out of place. I think it would have been better if they pretended to be married instead. I did not like how Jenny. She complained a lot throughout the novel. The writing was excellent and filled with historical details . However, the pacing was a bit slow. Still, I recommend this for fans of Victorian romances. This novel did interest me to read the first novel.

I loved the first book in this series that is centered around four men who lived in the same brutal orphanage as children.  One went into the Army.  One became a lawyer.  One is living with the effects of a debilitating head injury.  The last one disappeared.  Book one was about the soldier.  This book is about the lawyer.The book heavily references events in book one.  I am horrible at remembering what happened in romance novels but it started to come back to me.  I think if you read this book without reading the first one you could understand this story but would be lost at some of the events in the larger story.Jenny was the distant relative-companion to the heroine in book 1.  She is given a sum of money to live on.  Control of it is held by Thomas Finchley the lawyer because of course it is.  Can't have ladies running around with their own money.  She plans to go to India for an adventure and to see if she can find out what really happened to her cousin in a battle there.  She and Thomas had met before and had a bit of flirting.  Now he decides that he really likes her and so he is going to accompany her to India.  Yeah, he decides this and doesn't tell her. This is a bit of a pattern in this book. She clearly expresses her wishes and then he runs right over them because he feels that he knows better and he wants to help her.  She calls him out on it.  The book is about him trying to learn how to deal with a woman who wants adventure and romance but doesn't want marriage because of the restrictions that it will place on her in that time and place.  I thought this was a believable conflict between the protagonists.  They fall in love with each other but want very different lives.  How much should each person give up?  Will it lead to resentment over time?I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

"He Needed Peace...

Solicitor Tom Finchley has spent his life using his devious intellect to solve the problems of others. As for his own problems, they're nothing that a bit of calculated vengeance can't remedy. But that's all over now. He's finally ready to put the past behind him and settle down to a quiet, uncomplicated life. If only he could find an equally uncomplicated woman.

She Wanted Adventure...

Former lady's companion Jenny Holloway has just been given a modest independence. Now, all she wants is a bit of adventure. A chance to see the world and experience life far outside the restrictive limits of Victorian England. If she can discover the fate of the missing Earl of Castleton while she's at it, so much the better.

From the gaslit streets of London to the lush tea gardens of colonial India, Jenny and Tom embark on an epic quest - and an equally epic romance. But even at the farthest edges of the British Empire, the past has a way of catching up with you..."

Devon, Victorian England, India, so many favorite things in one book!