An Unusual Friendship leads to an Unconventional Marriage

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Source: Purchased

TYPE OF NOVEL: Regency Romance

THE PREMISE: Phyllida Satterthwaite is a poor, orphaned relation dependent on her uncle, who intends to “sell” Phyllida’s hand in marriage to the Duke of Moreland – a menacing and violent man who is commonly known as “The Collector.” Phyllida is desperate to save herself and her dogs from such a terrible fate, and beseeches assistance from her only friend – a man she has only known for a few weeks. But because of his injuries in the Peninsular War, Captain Heywood feels himself to be very broken and incapable of being of any use to anyone anymore. Or is he…

WHAT I LOVED:

• A Gentle and Genuine Heroine: Phyllida must be one of the most compassionate characters to ever appear in print. She cares for everything and everyone with such a generous heart. I loved her open candor and earnestness – she has absolutely no guile. I adored her relationship with her grandfather and all the happy memories she shared about her life in the country. In addition, I greatly admired her wise and intuitive understanding of everyones’ emotions and behaviors. Her manner of treating people with compassion instead of judgment is something I would like to emulate.

• A Brooding and Broken Hero: Captain Arthur Heywood is a shell of a man. His injuries and the inability to pursue his former activities have greatly depressed him and altered his opinion of himself. He may seem gruff and cold to others, but we quickly learn he is a man of deep feeling, integrity, and fierce devotion. He reminded me a little of Colonel Brandon with some of his melancholy and being a quiet man with still waters. I found so much to admire and love about Captain Heywood.

• The Antagonists: With Phyllida’s desperate and ruthless uncle, the brutal and ominous Duke of Moreland, and Arthur’s glamorous yet conniving ex-fiancé there are more than a few opposing forces for Phyllida and Arthur to face. Not to mention anonymous threats and servants with questionable allegiance. I enjoyed how all of these characters added some exhilarating tension and twists.

• Sincere and Steadfast Love: *le sigh* Oh how I love the ardent romance and passionate affection between Phyllida and Arthur! She is so open and earnest with her  love it is incredibly endearing. And I loved witnessing how her love gives so much healing to Arthur. How she is taking his broken pieces and deep scars and mending them into something whole. Moreover, I love that Arthur is so fierce in his devotion to Phyllida, and how he does so much to protect her and make her happy.

• Dramatic, Dangerous, and Daring: This was a wonderfully exciting and sometimes intense romantic journey. I appreciated how Mimi Matthews kept the action moving and all the clever twists and surprises we experienced along the way. I loved the new characters introduced, the conflicts that arose, and how the tension remained high until the end.

• The Puppers! 🐕: No surprise here! I loved that Phyllida rescued four dogs and how devoted she is to their care. Her relationships with these dogs is beautifully spotlighted throughout the story. I loved hearing about them – especially Basil. I loved learning about his past and seeing his role in the events that unfold.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

• That my time with Arthur and Phyllida came to an end!

CONCLUSION:

It seems like every book I’ve read by Mimi Matthews is a literary work of art! She excels at her craft. Her stories are engaging, stimulating, and all the components work together harmoniously. I adored The Work of Art and highly recommend it to readers who love Regency romance!

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