A Holiday By Gaslight

I did ultimately enjoy this one, but it certainly frustrated me. I was left wondering, especially in the first 25% why Sophie was pursuing the relationship when Ned was giving her absolutely so sign that he was even interested in her. The selfishness of her family, especially her father, drove me crazy, and I really wanted some kind of a comeuppance for him, especially after it's revealed that he used both his daughters' dowries on modernizations for his house . Finally, it bugged me that Sophie had to do all the work for her HEA. I'm not convinced, even after reading Ned's POV, that he deserved her because he put in such little effort. 

~Review first appeared on The Bent Bookworm!~I saw this book and wanted it. Instantly. THAT COVER. Who doesn't want to dress up in a sweeping, rich red gown with Christmas green trim? Clearly I was born in the wrong century. I had never heard of Mimi Matthews and while I am typically suspicious of historical romance books, my lovely experience with Someone to Trust (by Mary Balogh) made me willing to give this one a try as well.The premise was intriguing enough – a woman willing to sacrifice her own happiness for her family, but only so far. Sophie has standards. She is more than fine frills and ballrooms. Mr. Ned Sharpe recognizes that almost at once upon meeting her. Before long he is head over heels – but will he ever find his tongue? Though very short, this story was absolutely delicious. I loved the science brought into it as the characters were discussing Darwin's then-new theories, loved the descriptions of modernization, and I especially loved the major hat-tip to Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South, which is one of my most loved classic books!^I can totally see Ned as perpetually frowning as Mr. Thornton.Sophie has just about given up on Mr. Sharpe, but in an effort to please her parents she makes one last ditch attempt to get to know him – just to know him! that's all she wants! not even to be attracted to him! – and invites him AND his parents to her family's Christmas party at their country estate. Given their aristocratic status and his family's merchant background...things may not go as smoothly as could be hoped. But Sophie is determined to try to like the man who is willing to save her family from her father's ill-advised spending, and what results is a lovely little romance that builds as the two come to understand each other better.If you're familiar with North and South, you will definitely see the similarity between Mr. Thornton and Mr. Sharpe, which wasn't really all THAT obvious until the mother came into play. I loved it. It was sweet, and lovely, and can we have a full length novel with Sophie and Ned?^From the North and South movie, which was amazingly good and true to the book! I think it might be time for a re-watch.5/5 stars, because while there isn't a whole lot here, it seems meticulously researched, the characters are alive and vibrant and seem ready to walk off the page, and, well, they're just adorable somehow. Also snow and Christmas, because apparently I am ALL ABOUT the holiday cheer this season.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

This was just such a sweet little romance! Ned is a delightful hero, so respectful of Sophie that he almost loses her. It made him feel relatable and more real, that he is super successful and yet becomes tongue-tied when around the girl he's courting because he's so worried of saying the wrong thing.

Sophie, on the other hand, is looking for a man who sees her as something more than an object to be obtained—someone who actually sees and likes her for herself. After several months of her suitor barely speaking two words to her, she feels like he isn't even interested in her and resolves to break it off.

The second chance comes when he goes to their country estate for a Christmas party and Sophie makes him promise to be honest with her. As they begin to learn how to communicate with each other, it gets so sweet.

Further, I enjoyed the little tidbits on gaslight production. Having been in a home still plumbed for gas from the 1880s a few months back and seen the original fixtures in action, I was slightly surprised to hear that propane doesn't burn hot enough and that “coal oil” would have been brighter. I'd never heard of coal oil before, and no one really knew how it was produced, though the old-timers also on the tour said it somehow came from coal. This book gave a few more hints of how that would have been achieved, and having seen dimmer propane in action gave a great relevance to this mention of gaslight. It's a nice warm light, quite enough to read and see by, but without the glare of modern lights.

Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. The review is based off a finished copy I own in paperback.