Appointment in Bath

Mimi Matthews

Jun 2023 · Somerset Stories Book 4 · Perfectly Proper Press

About this ebook

A chance meeting between the sheltered daughter and the forward-thinking son of rival Victorian families sparks a forbidden romance in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews’s fourth book in her acclaimed Somerset Stories series.

Shy and stammering Meg Burton-Smythe has spent the whole of her life living on the fringes of local society. She’s more comfortable with her daydreams than she is with people. But when a dashing, golden-haired hero rides to her rescue one morning, she dares to hope that her dreams might finally come true. There’s only one problem: her handsome rescuer is the son of her father’s sworn enemy.

Ivo Beresford doesn’t believe in clinging to the past. Freshly returned from a lengthy grand tour, he’s looking to the future, eager to spearhead the building of a new railway extension in Somersetshire. But an unexpected encounter with Miss Burton-Smythe, the isolated only daughter of his parents’ oldest foe, sets the past and the future colliding.

Resolved to put ancient grudges to rest—at least where innocent young ladies are concerned—Ivo encourages lonely Meg to embark on a secret acquaintance. After all, what harm can a friendship do? It isn’t as though there’s any danger of the two of them falling in love…

Ratings and reviews

The families of shy Meg and dashing Ivo have been feuding for decades. But that doesn't stop Meg and Ivo from falling in love. Can they ever hope to marry? This is a sweet, quiet book that focuses on character development more than plot. This is book 4 in a series best read in order. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A Romeo and Juliet tale with a happily ever after, Appointment in Bath will delight romance readers! Ivo and Meg begin as friends, but their relationship blossoms into angsty romance in a story that tugs at the heart strings. Author Mimi Matthews once again exhibits her extraordinary ability to craft multidimensional characters with depth of feeling. Five stars!

A perfectly lovely forbidden romance, that deftly handles family issues, redemption, and coming into one's own. I really adored Meg and Ivo so much! Meg’s fire and spirit are a good match for Ivo's energetic bouncing ahead into the future, she tempers him. I also really loved that Meg and Ivo spent a lot of time getting to know each other as friends. I highly recommend this lovely read. Mimi Matthews is just such an amazing writer!

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, and Shelf Awareness, 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.