Read it for the:
-Opposites attract
-Balanced, well-rounded characters
-She pursues Him trope
-Banter and Wit
-Supportive families
-Cameos of favorite characters featured in previous books
-Entertaining mystery subplot
-Victorian era Setting

Romance/Steam: Kissing only
Content Warning: unwanted advances
Final Rating: 5 / 5

Short version :
This story is my new comfort read. I love this book for what it is, a quick, romantic, entertaining, and refreshingly wholesome, read. I recommend it.

Longer version:
Where do I begin? This book features the wonderful writing of Mimi Matthews, a lush Victorian setting, and a swoon-worthy romance. I am properly obsessed not only with this story but the potential the next installments in the series will have.

I loved the main characters. Charles was serious and intense, yet had an unlying compassion that served to soften his personality. I enjoyed the fact that while more serious, he was drawn to adventure, and struggled with some of the decisions he made in the past. Kate, on the other hand, was strong-willed and determined, yet feminine. She was a powerhouse lead, but likable, which is difficult to achieve.

Their chemistry was insane, and their romantic development was believable for two people who knew what they wanted. And the banter between them had me laughing out loud more than once. And I loved seeing Kate pursuing Charles. And him hating (loving) it.

While this book was on the wholesome side in regards to the intensity of the themes a long-time reader can expect from Mimi Matthews, I was satisfied with the plot of the story.

I loved the introduction of Kate’s 3 older brothers, James, Ivo, and Jack. The sibling relationships were spot on. And the stories hinted at for James and Ivo have me anxiously waiting for the next books.

My only gripe: I wish it was longer. This novel is a little bit longer than a novella, and I would have liked to see more of the romance between Kate and Charles. The mystery plot was entertaining, but I felt it could have been a more expanded on. I do hope we see more of Kate and Charles in future installments of this series!

The work of Art and Gentleman Jim should be read prior to this story, only to avoid spoilers for those two novels. Plus- they are incredible reads, I recommend. These novels can be read in any order, as they do not interconnect until this story.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Years after the characters of Mimi Matthews' wonderful A Work of Art and Gentleman Jim had their happy endings, their children meet. The moment Charles Heywood and Lady Katherine (Kate) Beresford see each other, there's something there. Something more than a small, half-feral dog attacking Kate's skirts. Charles may have too much on his mind at that moment to know how to follow up on his mystery lady, but fortunately, Kate is able to track him down. And fortunately, their families live close enough to each other in the country that she can pursue the accidental meeting, and Charles, to make sure he's what she has bee looking for all Season. A man interested in her for more than her looks or her money. One who might treat her as an equal, even make her happy.

Charles is adorable in his confused reaction to Kate's pursuit. He doesn't know what to make of her, let alone the fact that she invites herself into his investigation of the mystery of Satterthwaite Court, his mother Phyllida's family home. Entail broken, the home is up for sale, but the owner won't sell it to Charles for any amount of money. At first Charles is a little too overwhelmed with his own family issues of going into the Navy without his parents' blessing and now, almost ten years later, leaving it, plus Satterthwaite Court, plus trying to decide his future to know what to do about Kate. Is she serious or is this a game to her? He's been away from Society long enough that he can't tell.

Kate is delightful. She chafes at Society's rules and we see several good examples of how those rule almost seem designed to hurt women instead of help them here. But Kate is adventurous, strong-willed, and confident, and when she is sure of something, she doesn't want to waver from her path. Her few moments of self-consciousness and doubt are all the tougher to see in such a strong woman, but remind readers that we are all allowed to be a mix of strong and emotional, solitary and in need of support.

Mimi Matthews once again creates a delightful set of characters who learn how to come together to make the perfect couple. They learn when to give and when to stand, to bring out the best in each other and to support each other along the way. Return to Satterthwaite Court is a lovely, fast-paced book that will make you smile until the last page. You don't have to have read A Work of Art or Gentleman Jim to enjoy this spin off, but they are great books by themselves and I highly recommend them.

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

I would read Mimi Matthews' tax return (if she wrote it!) Return to Satterthwaite Court has all the elements that I love in her work: nuanced and complex characters, impeccable historical details, and the Longing. No one does longing like Mimi Matthews! This novel follows a fearless heroine who knows what she wants and goes after it (or him).
This was a lovely, character-driven romance, beautifully written by one of my favorite storytellers. (And can I just say, I would kill for a story about Hannah and James!!!) Read this. Read all of Matthews' books––and prepare to be swept away.

Thank you to Mimi Matthews and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I have yet to read a book by Mimi Matthews that is not spellbinding, enthralling and captivating. She has a way of bringing words to life, that I find myself mesmerised from start to finish. Once again in ‘Return to Satterthwaite Court, I was transported to early Victorian London, where the romance between Lieutenant Charles Heywood and Lady Katherine Beresford, is fraught with intrigue. Charles, weary from battle, is resolved to settling down to a quiet life in the country, only to find himself meeting Katherine, as soon as he arrives on English soil. Katherine is headstrong and daring, never one to admit defeat. Yet when she meets the strong and silent façade of Charles, her confidence is dimmed. She is fascinated by him, but quite unsure whether he reciprocates her feelings. When they find themselves joined together in a quest to unravel a decades’ old mystery, they are uncertain what their future will hold.
Whilst this book is a standalone story and I had not realised the connection to the earlier two books, I felt myself drawn to reading the story of the couple’s parents, to once again immerse myself in their background. Kat is so refreshing in knowing what she wants and her efforts to convince Charles, were entertaining. Her vulnerability was appealing and not forced. Charles is memorable for being honourable and knowing his own mind. With both characters confident in the love of their families, I saw great depth to them and their family members. I so hope that Ms Matthews, continues to explore all of the siblings, as she has certainly given just enough detail to make one wonder about their future. I look forward to reading the fourth book in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Return to Satterthwaite Court by Mimi Matthews was well worth the wait! From the opening scene to the perfectly paced storyline to the savory ending, I was fully engrossed. Kate possesses the strength of mind and character that I enjoy in a young woman. She marches to the beat of her own drum and she’s not going to change for anyone. Charles is quite unsure what to do with a woman like Kate. She makes her intentions very clear, and I love how the chase ensues. Charles is a strong stoic type, but he is no match for Kate’s fire and passion. The chemistry is absolutely what I would expect from Mimi while maintaining a sweet romance. I adored all things about this book and highly recommend it to all lovers of historical romance fiction.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Return to Sattherthwaite Court by Mimi Matthews is the third book in the Somerset Stories series. It takes place decades after the first two books and involves the children of the previous MCs. Although you could read it as a stand-alone, it was so fun to see characters I knew and loved from the first two books in the series. I loved the role reversal—Kate is the one to pursue Charles instead of the other way around. Mimi Matthews is a master of writing swoony romance and this book did not disappoint! So many delicious moments, including one under a very special tree! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romance. Thanks to Netgalley and Perfectly Proper Press for the ARC; all opinions are my own.

Lieutenant Charles Heywood has had his fill of adventure. Battle-weary and disillusioned, he returns to England, resolved to settle down to a quiet, uneventful life on an estate of his own. But arranging to purchase the property he desires is more difficult than Charles ever imagined. The place is mired in secrets, some of which may prove deadly. If he’s going to unravel them, he’ll need the assistance of someone as daring as he is. At only twenty, Lady Katherine Beresford has already earned a scandalous reputation. As skilled with pistols as she is on horseback, she’s never met an obstacle she can’t surmount. From the wilds of rural Somerset to the glittering ballrooms of early-Victorian London, Charles and Kate embark on a cross-country quest to solve a decades’ old mystery.
The third book in the series whilst it could be read on its own it does bring together children from the first two books. A lovely read, well written with wonderful characters & a story that flows effortlessly. There’s also a delicious mix of romance, intrigue & mystery. I loved both Charles & Kate & thoroughly enjoyed their journey to a HEA, their chemistry sizzled even though there were only kisses. It was also lovely to catch up with the parents. I was engrossed from cover to cover
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

First I have to say I didn't realise this was a second generation story and haven't read the previous books. However this really didn't matter as this can easily stand up on it's own. It's unusual to other historical stories in that the heroine Lady Katherine does most of the chasing and is a very forward and progressive character. It is a relatively slow burn romance with Charles being a bit at a loose end having left the navy and there is a small mystery to keep the pace moving while they learn about each other and fall in love. The author's stories are always a pleasure to read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Take two different couples that I love from previous novels and have their children fall in love… Yes, please!!

Kate Beresford, daughter of Maggie and St. Clare from Gentleman Jim, is confident and has a mind of her own. Having been raised with rambunctious brothers, Kate knows how to hold her own with a pistol and on a horse.

Charles Heywood, son of Philly and Arthur from A Work of Art, returns home from his adventurous life at sea. He plans to settle down and enjoy the quiet, mundane life. A chance meeting with Kate will take his peaceful plans and turn them upside down!

“Lovely as she was, she was also as brash and unpredictable as wildfire. Being around her had lit something equally unpredictable within him—some rogue spark of emotion he didn’t quite know what to do with.”

I loved how Charles and Kate meet. It made me instantly love both of them. Kate has an immediate attraction to Charles and devices a plan to see him again. I loved Kate’s feistiness mixed with Charles’s broodiness. Their very different personalities made for some fun banter. The “she pursues him” was such a fun twist to this book.

‘“Don’t tempt me, Kate. I can’t keep resisting you forever,”
“I wish you wouldn’t resist me at all,” she said.’

One of my favorite parts of this book was reading about the families. I loved seeing Philly and Arthur and Maggie and St. Clare all happy with children. This felt like a big epilogue for both novels in a way. This is a story that you definitely want to read the previous books first!

This story was enduring and heart warming but it wasn’t the swashbuckling adventure that Gentleman Jim was. I felt the mystery wasn’t that big of a mystery. That being said, I loved the book. Kate and Charles had a great story and I can’t wait to read more from both families!


Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Once again Mimi Matthews gives us a scrumptious romantic plot along with a hint of mystery. Katherine is a bit of a wild-child, not always acting in a manner society would approve. She does know her own mind and when she encounters Charles she knows he's the “ONE”. I can't help but think Charles didn't know what hit him when Kate turned up unannounced at his country home. Soon they were getting better acquainted and having an adventure that had nothing to do with the high seas of Charles' past. I can always count on Ms. Matthews for a page-turning yarn and a lovely romance.

Matthews has described this book as basically fan service and how thankful her fans will be! This has all the charm I've come to expect of her and wonderfully low-stakes conflicts (my favourite kind). I think readers could easily approach this as a standalone but for those familiar ith the earlier books it's a pleasure to revisit familiar characters and see the next generation.

Kate wants a hero and Charles seems to fill the bill when he rescues a mutt on Bond Street. And so begins Kate's pursuit of Lieutenant Heywood. This story is full of charm, laughter, love, and old family secrets that still threaten happiness.

I just LOVED this sweet, clean romance about two people who meet up over an incident with a stray dog!

Kate might show no fear in going after what she wants, but she is still bound by the constraints of her culture. It was fun to see how she fought against that in order to express interest in Charles. And sweet to see how he reciprocated!

This is a historical story, with fun notes about the truth mixed in with the fiction.

I received a free eARC from #netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Mimi Matthews never lets me down! This was another charming romance in the sweet historical vein featuring the children of the lead characters from Matthew's "A Work of Art," and "Gentleman Jim". Even better, there's ANOTHER book coming out in this series later THIS YEAR! I cannot wait!

You do not have to have read those two STELLAR novels to understand and appreciate this one. I read them both last year, so I had a vague memory of their plots as I devoured this novel in two days. Matthew's writing style draws you in and doesn't let go. She is an auto-read for me.

In "Return to Satterthwaite Court," newly discharged Navy Lieutenant Charles Heywood returns to London and has an adorable meet-cute with Lady Katherine Beresford thanks to an unruly stray dog. I was hooked.

Katherine is immediately taken with the kind, handsome stranger and endeavors to discover his identity and get to know him better. In a bit of a stalker move, she unexpectedly visits his family home during Christmas and together they try to solve a mystery involving his parent's past.

Of course, there's a villain to be thwarted, sigh-worthy dialog and a happily ever after to achieve. It gave me all the feels and just makes me wish I could take a stroll through the Somerset countryside right now.

A BIG THANKS to Perfectly Proper Press & Netgalley for the chance to review. 5 stars and all the thumbs up!

I adored getting to see the two couples from book one and book two brought together by their son and daughter. Kate endeared me to her heart the moment she walked onto the page and Charles quickly became a character I loved. So many swoon worthy moments in this clean closed door romance. I cannot wait for Ivo's book!

Loved this! The plot moves quickly and I enjoyed the story. The swoony moments! So many but here are two of my favs:

"Charles-
He shook his head. Don't tempt me, Kate. I can't keep resisting you forever."

"That's the trouble, sweetheart. I don't want just anyone. I want you. Why else do you suppose I'm here?"

Looking forward to the rest of the series!!

Disillusioned, Charles turns his back on the Navy, which was to have been his career, and heads home, planning to settle down and forget about his dreams of adventure. But mild adventure finds him anyway, in the form of a young woman he can't forget and an anonymous letter with hints about his mother. By the end of Kate's first season, she's sick of London bores and her family's plans for her to marry a title - what she wants is a hero. When a man rescues a mongrel puppy, she's intrigued, despite his rudeness, and she decides to pursue him - particularly when she discovers he lives only about 20 miles from her home. Can she convince him to give her a chance? And can Charles uncover the mystery of the anonymous letter?

As always with this author, a great story with characters I enjoyed getting to know and a satisfying ending. While Kate is willing to chase what she wants, it was never over the top, which was good. I enjoyed watching Charles and Kate interact - but I also liked watching each with their family. The family relationships are particularly heart-warming here, which made for a nice change from the all-too-common dysfunctional family, but they're also odd in various ways, adding a touch of interest and at times humour. It was also great to see things coming full circle in this series to a certain extent (though this can easily be read on its own), and seeing a different side of the background for book 1. All in all, a delightful and satisfying read. Recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

This was a great next generation story. I loved that we got to see the two main couples of the other books as parents: one to a solemn and serious soldier returned from the navy and another to a high-spirited and feisty daughter who can shoot and ride well. I love how they meet and all the care and love they have for animals. I feel like it was a little bit of a grumpy sunshine attraction. Kate knew what she wanted and fought to get it. Charles is a little more reluctant but eventually gives in to Kate. A fully sweet romance that was a lovely read.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

After almost a decade in Her Majesty’s Navy, Charles Heywood is disenchanted and resigns his commission, he plans to find an estate and settle down into the life of a country gentleman, but first, he needs to reconcile with his family – he didn’t leave under the best of terms and that weighs heavily on him. So after a quick stop in London to purchase some Christmas gifts, he will return to Heywood House in Somersetshire and try to mend his fences, then find his own estate and then maybe, he will think about marriage. But fate has other plans for Charles and thanks to a mangy mutt, Charles crosses paths with one of the most lovely women he has ever seen. But Charles doesn’t have time for ladies, no matter how lovely, and after a brief exchange, Charles is off, with the dog, not the lady.

Lady Katherine Beresford has just met the only man in London that has interested her, too bad she doesn’t know his name or situation. Kate is in town for the season and to find a husband, her family has a bit of scandal attached to their name, and they are hoping that if Kate marries well, it will help ease the gossip that still surrounds them, but she wants a love like her parents have and so far men have only been interested in her looks or her fortune. The man she met today didn’t seem interested in either, making him almost irresistible to Kate. A little digging provides her with his name and direction, he lives near her parent's estate, which as luck would have it, she is traveling to for Christmas in a few days. Once home, she writes to him and then finagles her youngest brother to escort her to his family estate. The reception she receives was not what she expected and she learns that a threatening letter was sent and Charles thought she sent it! Undaunted, Kate makes it her business to help Charles figure out who sent the letter and what it means. Because despite Charles’ frosty demeanor, Kate hasn’t given up on finding her HEA with him! Now she just needs to help him solve his mystery and convince him that she is the perfect woman for him! Too bad she forgot that the course of true love never did run smooth.

This was a delightful read, it was well written and flowed nicely with wonderful characters and an interesting plot. I hadn’t read the previous books in the series, which were their parent’s love stories, but since the author did such a great job explaining their backstories, I had no problem understanding the connections in this book. I was hoping for a bit of steam, but this book is kisses only and didn’t need the smexy stuff to give the reader romance between Kate and Charles. The book has revenge, lots of dogs, wonderful secondary characters, a possible secondary romance, mystery, a heroine who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to “chase him until he catches her”, a hero who thinks he knows what he wants until she shows him he is wrong, gunshots, surprising discoveries, disappointments, kisses and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed and a little anti-climatic, but it was still good and I would happily recommend this title. This is the third book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

After eight years at sea, Lieutenant Charles Heywood has resolved to settle down. He never expects to meet a lady as skilled with pistols as she is on horseback. Lady Katherine Beresford has never met an obstacle she couldn’t surmount and expects to win the heart of the somber sailor she meets. Will these two opposites prove the saying that opposites attract, or will their differences keep them apart?


Several years ago, I read the first book of this series, The Work of Art. It was sweet to see the main characters of that book as an older couple with children in this book. Though I will admit that it has been so long, I didn’t really remember them or their romance or story. This did make the mystery more interesting for me.


However, that meant that the background of Satterthwaite Court was what kept me reading. I was not invested in either Charles or Katherine. They were such opposites and had so few meetings before a proposal that I have serious concerns about their relationship.


Overall, there wasn’t anything truly wrong with the story. The mystery was interesting. There was a sudden threat at the end that was easily overcome. I would recommend this to readers looking for a quick, historical romance, and don’t mind a relationship that happens quickly.