A Holiday by Gaslight

I don’t usually jump up and down getting all excited about a book but there is a time for everything, and so you can picture me jumping up and down. This novella is delightful!, wonderful!, and perfect for a spirited lift in the Holiday season.

Sophie is not going to marry a man she doesn’t like and for the 2 months Ned Sharpe has been courting her, he has been uncommunicative and cold. So it is best to end it with Ned because he seems not to even like her. Ned does like her but he is from “trade” and Sophie is an aristocrat. He is out of his element. He bought a book that tells him “the rules” of courtship and he’s trying not to make a mistake, until he messes up everything. But Sophie’s parents need her to marry for money and play on her sense of duty to try and rectify the breach with Ned.

So often I complain about how characters are not well developed in novellas but Mimi Matthews has shown here that it can be done and done well. Not only the main characters but also the side characters. The Romance is slow developing and the essence of Victorian mores is ever present. This gives the book a true feeling of the era. There is a Christmasy feeling with the festivities at the house party. There are touches of the times in discussion of Prince Albert’s death and modern innovations. All in all a 5+ star book, I highly recommend this book for your relaxing holiday pleasure.

Well done Mimi Matthews. You’ve done it again. Pairing Prince Albert’s death with the theory of evolution and gaslight making its way into English homes is ingenious. Sophie is part of the aristocracy, her father throwing all the family money into modernising his home while along along his attitude towards his two daughters is outdated. Ned is the son of a draperer. With ambition and intelligence he has made himself a wealthy man. Now he wants to court Sophie but has no idea how to bridge the gap society has placed on them. It’s Christmas and there’s a house party - the scene is set for angst, romance and a happy ending. Loved it.

Hooray hooray! A Christmas novella by one of my favorite authors! A Holiday by Gaslight is a wonderful story about Sophie Appersett and Edward Sharpe. They have been courting until Sophie decides they do not suit. Woe! Misunderstandings! Change of hearts! This is such a sweet and tender romance, and Sophie and Edward are both extremely likable. Mimi Matthews has been able to give such depth of character to both of them in this novella than some other authors are able to do in a whole book! The novella rings true to the time period and touches on the technological innovations and thinking of the time. I would highly recommend this novella as well as the rest of Mimi Matthew's books.

God, I LOVE Mimi Matthews. I love netgalley for giving me advance access to her books and I love Christmas for inspiring this bit of magic.
I literally read this book all the way through without stopping. I love stories like this and characters like this: sensible heroines and heroes who seem so cold and unfeeling but actually are SO into their girl. I'm gonna buy this when it's released and read it all over again!

Before this book I haven’t had the pleasure to read a Mimi Matthews’ novel and I now I am determined to search for her other books.

“A Holyday by Gaslight” is an amazingly endearing Christmas Victorian novella that follows Sophie Appersett as she does her part to help her family, even if it means marrying for obligation and not for love. Or is she?

For such a short reading I ended up wanting to be friends with Sophie, sighed my heart out for Mr. Edward Sharpe, revolted against some of the characters and giggled like a fool to some very well written tender moments.

This is the perfect little reading to warm your Christmas nights.

Very nicely written, ridding with the Victorian spirit of change and progress, completely endearing and delightful, this is a book that every romance reader will want to have on their collection.

"A Holiday by Gaslight" is a romance set in 1861 England. Sophie is a practical, dutiful daughter of a baronet. When a rich merchant asks to court her despite her lack of dowry (it was spent on adding gaslights to the family manor), her parents urge the match in hopes of more funds. However, the hero has been reading an etiquette manual with rather vague advice, so he says little during the courtship in hopes of avoiding offense.

Most of the story happened at a Christmas party held at the manor. The hero has been given a second chance as long as he agrees to share about himself. They get to know each other and admire each other's character, but the differences in their class does make for a few misunderstandings. Historical details about manners, the latest technology, Christmas customs, and such were woven into the story and brought it to life. The characters were likable and were a good match in temperament and interests.

There was no sex. There was occasional use of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romance.

A Holiday by Gaslight is a charming and light-hearted romance that kind of begins with a broken romance. Sophie and Ned appeared to not suit according to Sophia. Thus, she breaks the courtship. Sophie finds Ned to be cold and non-feeling, when the exact opposite is true. Ned is taking his advice on courtship from the Gentleman’s Book on Etiquette, while Sophie is taking her cues from Darwin’s On the Origin of the Species. Neither of these are helping the situation.

To make matters even worse, Sophie’s parents are expecting her to marry Ned, who is in trade, to bring wealth back into the family. Her sister Emily is the special daughter (spoiled and not too caring of other’s feelings) to be treated to a London season so she will marry well to a title. Without the family’s knowledge, Emily seems to have fallen for Ned’s business partner, Walter.

The main reason Sophie has to marry wealth is her father’s extreme desire to have the best of everything and make his home the grandest. This quest has taken Sophie’s dowry money, leaving nothing for an upcoming marriage. Sophie’s father seems extremely selfish and egotistical. While Sophie and her mother economize to try to help keep the family from sinking into poverty.

Ned is an extremely kind man, who cares very deeply for Sophie, he just does not know how to show it. He has given her another chance upon her request, to see if they might get to know each other better. At first, it may have seemed Sophie, too, was being selfish, but you realize quickly that she just wants to marry for love. She even indicated that she wanted to love Ned, but just did not know him well enough to love him.

It was sweet reading of these two going beyond acquaintance to friendship to love, to learn more about each other so as not to make a mistake by marrying and then, find out they do not suit. The dating rituals of that time period made courting difficult. There were several hurdles to overcome on their way to their HEA. And, it was a delight. This is my first Mimi Matthews book and will not be my last. The cover is adorable and drew me in to ready the synopsis. Another great part of this book is the cleanness of the romance without a lot sensuality or just gratuitous sex in the majority of romances today.

Mr Edward Sharpe is a very reserved man, but he loves Sophie. He has looked at her for a long time, but never talked to her. He has asked to court her. Sophie's father is so caught up in putting modern technology such as gaslight in his estate that he has let his family go. Sophie tells Edward that she cannot marry him as they don't suit. He feels very deeply but seems cold and indifferent. He doesn't ask her to give him another chance. After talking to her mother, she goes to Edward's office to invite him to their Christmas House party so they can get to know each other better. Will Edward show Sophie his heart? Will Sophie be able to love Edward? I adored this book of misunderstandings and love. I received this book from Net Galley and Perfectly Proper Press for a honest review and no compensation otherwise.

Victorian London, romance, class-consciousness, love

She is level headed and knows that her aristocratic father has spent the family into debt with all of his farsighted improvements to the country house, but she is more ill at ease with man who is courting her because he seems so unemotional than because he is a rich cit. He has been raised to be reserved but it seems that he is going to lose the woman who fascinates him. They agree to begin again at the Christmas house party and decide the outcome at the end of it.
Well told and engaging!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Perfectly Proper Press via NetGalley.

Mimi Matthews is a fairly recent discovery, but a favourite historical romance author of mine. She writes historically accurate Victorian novels and novellas that are on the sweet side as far as steaminess goes, but usually also emotional stories with great characters.
I liked all of the mixed messages and class confusion in this one. The hero is completely out of his depth trying to navigate the society of the landed gentry (as is his friend), and this results in him nearly losing his chance with the heroine before the courtship even begins.
As you can probably tell by the title, Matthews has struggled to find a home in mainstream publishing because of the style of her books, but they are worth your time.
Much of A Holiday by Gaslight takes place in rural Derbyshire at Christmastime, and I actually read it while *I* was in rural Derbyshire, and so it felt that little bit extra special to read.

I really love this story enough that I can say our patrons,will love it too because the Victorian inspired love story where a,woman is stuck in financial ruin and then later grows to love and in it for the right reasons. This is a prime example to never be afraid to be who you are and to find love for the right reasons. How someone may appear on the outside might not who he'll be in the inside and it might be totally unexpected.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This will definitely be considered for collection historical fiction collection. That is,why we give this book 5 stars.

This book made me inexplicably happy.

Sophie is a strong, level-headed character, wanting to make the right choice for her family in a businesslike way. Following the recently published “On the Origin of Species” by Darwin, aristocratic Sophie understands that she must adapt or let her species die out. Comes in trader Ned - the silent but strong type, maybe a bit overwhelmed with what he has gotten into, but fearless in meeting it heads on, guided by another literary gem of the era “Gentleman’s Book of Etiquette”. Ned’s romantic pursuit of Sophie is stoic and cold until she prods him to change his ways. Sweet and innocent, I suspect this is exactly how courtship panned out in Victorian England, which made those few shared kisses extra special.

Mimi Matthews is a new author for me, and this book was such a delight, I will return! I can highly recommend this book for readers looking for a quick, easy, gingerbread-filled read this holiday season.

Thank you Netgalley and Perfectly Proper Press for this opportunity to read and review.

This is a perfect Christmas novella! This is a charming, sweet, romantic historical romance to sink into. Set in Victorian England, the author notes that there are allusions to Elizabeth Gaskell's novel, North and South. Indeed, the hero, Ned, does give off some delicious John Thornton vibes. However, this is not a retelling and this story stands delightfully on its own. Readers will enjoy it whether or not they are aware of the nods to North and South.

This is truly an engaging story. If you are drawn to the lovely cover, you will find the story within equally appealing. I have a soft spot for Christmas novellas, and this one distinguishes itself by the way it feels complete, even with a short length and quick pace. The characters are well-rounded and likeable. There is a complete and natural immersion into the Victorian era. This also captures the hope and joy of the Christmas season. I love this novella and highly recommend it!

Christmas during the Victorian era. This novella was a fun read. The two main characters were from different sides of the social class. The heroine was of noble birth and the hero was a wealthy tradesman. I enjoyed seeing how their relationship developed and played out. I recommend for anyone who loves historical romance with a hea and appreciate a clean read as well. There are a few curse words in the story in case you are sensitive to that, but over all a treat to read.

*I was given a copy of this novella by the publisher via netgalley and was not under any obligation to leave a review. This is my honest opinion.

The perfect historical romance! i am a fan of all things Victorian and this book melted my heart. I was enthralled by the writing and the story was the perfect blend of romance, stolen moments, and reminiscent of some of my favorite wider know BBC shows. I give this novel two thumbs up and 5 stars!

Is there anything better than a Mimi Matthews novella? Maybe only a full-length novel, but I’m not complaining! Using Darwin, Prince Albert, domestic modernizations, and protagonists that actually speak honestly - candidly! - to one another, Matthews has created a beautifully inviting world that I wish to visit again. Such a world where characters can actually own up to their faults and humble themselves in apology is a lovely place, indeed.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Enjoyable read. This is my first book by this Author. It is a Victorian Christmas novella. Sophie Appersett must marry to help her family survive. she is suited up with Edward Sharpe who has no emotions and she feels this is not a good match. Her family is outraged when she tells Edward this. She goes to him to give him a second chance and he is upset and cold. Will they get together by a Gaslight Christmas or all they miss suited ? Delightful book.

Mimi Matthews delivers a delightful novella written in Victorian era. A family with two daughters and two spent dowries. One willing to marry for her family, the other looking for social gain. Everyone is cast perfectly, the father whose looking for change to the spoiled sister. Beautiful and enchanting story of family and second chances. This is a perfect read for the holiday season. Thank you for allowing me an ARC for my honest review. Beautifully done.

You know the feeling when you find that rare, treasure of an author? The author whose writing resonates with your soul so much, that you know undoubtedly that you will love everything they ever write? That is Mimi Matthews for me. After reading "The Matrimonial Advertisement" for the second time...and falling in love with it AGAIN...I about died of bliss when I saw that she had a new novella coming, and just in time for my favorite holiday. And once again, it did not disappoint. It was absolutely wonderful. The characters were memorable and deep, with complexities that grew with the plot. The plot itself was amazing and fast-paced, and once again I finished the book feeling warm, happy, cozy and whole. A definite recommend.

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.

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)

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.

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

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!