Fair As A Star

FAIR AS A STAR BY MIMI MATTHEWS

A Secret Burden…

After a mysterious sojourn in Paris, Beryl Burnham has returned home to the village of Shepton Worthy ready to resume the life she left behind. Betrothed to the wealthy Sir Henry Rivenhall, she has no reason to be unhappy—or so people keep reminding her. But Beryl’s life isn’t as perfect as everyone believes.

A Longstanding Love…

As village curate, Mark Rivenhall is known for his compassionate understanding. When his older brother’s intended needs a shoulder to lean on, Mark’s more than willing to provide one. There’s no danger of losing his heart. He already lost that to Beryl a long time ago.

During an idyllic Victorian summer, friends and family gather in anticipation of Beryl and Sir Henry’s wedding. But in her darkest moment, it’s Mark who comes to Beryl’s aid. Can he help her without revealing his feelings—or betraying his brother?

Another well-researched Victorian romance from Mimi Mathews, uniquely offering a glimpse into the world of women who were so sadly misunderstood. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but this is a very different type of romance. Many readers seem to really connect with Beryl in this story -which is amazing! We are starting to see a range of more diverse character’s that we as readers can more personally relate to. With that being said, if you are looking for a light and cheery romance, go into this one with eyes wide open that this is a bit of a heavier romance. I thoroughly loved the writing style and I saw in the perils of being a misunderstood woman in the Victorian era in a whole new light.

I’ve created a Pinterest board inspired by some of the details in Fair As A Star. Don’t you just love looking at old pictures! I could do all sorts of wool-gathering creating stories about the people pictured.

One of my favorite parts in the book is the sister’s talking about the dresses Beryl’s aunt had made for her while they were in Paris. Imagine a whole chest of Worth dresses! You can check out a short history and tour of some House of Worth gowns here.

I also found Beryl’s hobby of whitework fascinating. It sent me down research time-warp looking up needlework. If you would like to learn more about the history of whitework, check out this post. I found it fascinating!

I am lucky enough to have a few gorgeous piece of needlework that my great-grandmother sewed. The detail and precision of the stitches are so beautiful. Fun fact -Jane Austen was quite adept at sewing.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

For more information, please visit Mimi Matthews’ website and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, BookBub, Pinterest, Google+, and Goodreads.

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

Publication Date: July 14, 2020
Perfectly Proper Press

Series: Victorian Romantics, Book One
Genre: Historical Romance

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, July 14
Review at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, July 15
Interview at Austenprose
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books
Feature at I’m All About Books
Review at Probably at the Library

Thursday, July 16
Review at Library of Clean Reads

Friday, July 17
Review at View from the Birdhouse

Saturday, July 18
Review at The Green Mockingbird

Sunday, July 19
Review at Robin Loves Reading

Monday, July 20
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Tuesday, July 21
Review at Book Bustle

Wednesday, July 22
Review at Bookish Rantings

Thursday, July 23
Review at Heidi Reads

Friday, July 24
Review at The Lit Bitch

Saturday, July 25
Feature at What Is That Book About

Monday, July 27
Review at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Tuesday, July 28
Review at Donna’s Book Blog

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a copy of Fair as a Star by Mimi Matthews! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on July 28th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

https://gleam.io/4LLuZ/fair-as-a-star

Direct Link: https://gleam.io/4LLuZ/fair-as-a-star

Thank you to Amy from HFVB Tours for having me on the tour and to Mimi Mathews for writing such amazing books that make Victorian women better understood.

You can also check out my last post Frocks & Fiction to see how you can add some Victorian elements into your everyday outfits.