Oh, Neville Cross. You beautiful man. *sigh*

I have adored every single book in this series. Each time Mimi Matthews releases a new one I find myself wondering how she can possibly equal the ones that have come before, but somehow she does. Not only that, but each story has its own distinctive characters, tone, and atmosphere, despite being thoroughly Victorian, so that you almost feel as though you’re discovering her all over again each time you pick up her newest book. Reader, this is historical romance heaven!

Neville pretty much melted me like a pat of butter left in the sun. He’s a gentle giant—and a self-conscious one to boot—who’s tender-hearted and fiercely loyal, and from the moment he meets Clara he’s halfway smitten. Watching his regard deepen as their friendship grows is a treat no historical romance lover should deprive themselves of, complete with some oh-so-sweet moments of hesitant, budding affection.

Clara both contrasts and complements Neville in all the best ways. For example, she tends towards loquaciousness whereas he tends toward taciturnity (both by nature and as a result of his struggle to translate his thoughts into speech), but their mutual love of animals is not only their first point of contact; it plays a significant role in the development of their relationship. Best of all, they uncover each other’s strengths, encourage one another in their dreams, and support one another in their times of need, though the path to their HEA is, of course, not as smooth as that sounds!

On top of all that, Matthews’ writing is a dream, full of nuanced sensory details that bring both the romance and the setting to life. I’m really not sure what else you could ask for, except, “More, please?”