Return to Satterthwaite Court

Mimi Matthews

Apr 2023 · Somerset Stories Book 3 · Perfectly Proper Press

About this ebook

A reckless Victorian heiress sets her sights on a dashing ex-naval lieutenant, determined to win his heart as the two of them embark on a quest to solve a decades-old mystery in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews’s sequel to her critically acclaimed novels The Work of Art and Gentleman Jim.

Lieutenant Charles Heywood has had his fill of adventure. Battle-weary and disillusioned, he returns to England, resolved to settle down to a quiet, uneventful life on an estate of his own. But arranging to purchase the property he desires is more difficult than Charles ever imagined. The place is mired in secrets, some of which may prove deadly. If he’s going to unravel them, he’ll need the assistance of someone as daring as he is.

At only twenty, Lady Katherine Beresford has already earned a scandalous reputation. As skilled with pistols as she is on horseback, she’s never met an obstacle she can’t surmount—or a man she can’t win. That is, until she encounters the infuriatingly somber Lieutenant Heywood. But Kate refuses to be deterred by the raven-haired soldier’s strong, silent facade. After all, faint heart never won handsome gentleman.

From the wilds of rural Somersetshire to the glittering ballrooms of early-Victorian London, Charles and Kate embark on a cross-country quest to solve a decades’ old mystery. Will the greatest danger be to their hearts—or to their lives?

Ratings and reviews

Absolutely amazing! I’m relatively new to Mimi Matthews’ books, but every single one I’ve read has become an instant favorite. This book was an utter delight! From start to finish I loved the grumpy, stoic Charles and the confident, fiery Kate. Their first meeting is an adorable meet cute all orchestrated by a mongrel dog. Kate is at once enchanted by the handsome lieutenant and determines to pursue him. What she sets her mind to, she usually gets. Highly recommend this clean Victorian romance!

Such a wonderful, heartwarming story! I love this type of interconnected series - this book brings everything together from the first two, as the son of the couple in Book 1 (The Work of Art) is paired with the daughter of the couple in Book 2 (Gentleman Jim). Not only do we get to reunite with those couples and see them living out their HEAs, but we can see their familiar traits as they are manifested in the next generation. Beautiful when done right, and absolutely breathtaking when done as well as Ms. Matthews has done here. Charles is a true hero, having served honorably in the Navy, though his mother reminds him that he's always been the kind to rush to help anyone in need. Kate is the sunshine to his grump, vivacious and full of life, and try as he may, he simply cannot resist her for long. I simply adored every page in this marvelous story. Both families are a joy to watch, and I'm really looking forward to reading more as this younger generation finds their own HEAs. Historical romance doesn't get any better than this. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

I didn't think it possible that I could like Return to Satterthwaite Court more than the previous book in this series, Gentleman Jim, but I really did! I read 3/4 of this book in one sitting, before forcing myself to put it down and go to sleep. Only to lie awake for two more hours thinking about the story, the setting, the cover, predicting what might happen next, how deliciously satisfying a Mimi Matthews story is and how I should have read slower and savored it. Really, I should have just finished reading it and then started over and read it again! This series is marvelous! Return to Satterthwaite Court could be read as a stand alone, Mimi Matthews does a marvelous job of filling in the blanks for new readers. But I highly recommend recommending the other two, if not first then also. Each book in this series has bested the previous...and I have loved them all!

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.