Well I continue to be the biggest fan of Mimi Matthews. What can I say? Her writing brings me pure joy.

The fourth installment of the Somerset Stories is set to release this coming Tuesday! Historical romance lovers, this is a series you don't want to miss!

Appointment in Bath follows Ivo and Meg, a young lady and gentleman whose parents are sworn enemies. Ivo is a handsome, gentle soul who sees the beauty of Meg inside and out. Meg, sheltered and stuck in the confines of her father's orders and household finds refuge in Ivo's kindness. Both fight the battle of forbidden love in this Romeo and Juliet like story...don't worry there is a happy ending!

I'm a sucker for a bespectacled man. Ivo is such a dream in this story, and I was hooked from the beginning. I love how Ivo also makes mistakes in this one. Their relationship arc has all the hardships and I enjoyed watching their characters grow.

Forbidden love. Young lovers. Friends to lovers. Sweet romance. Such a lovely, beautiful story you all need to read!

Jump on this series my friends. It's fantastic!

Thank you @mimimatthewsesq for my #earlycopy!!


#historicalromance #forbiddenlove #younglove #somersetseries #satterthwaite #beresford #histfic #appointmentinbath #mimimatthews #earc #earlycopy

I'm a big fan of Matthews' work and this book was just as beautifully written and charming as the rest. This is the first book I've read in the Somerset Stories (I'm well aware how out of order I am) and I immediately checked out the rest from the library! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Appointment in Bath is the fourth book in the ‘Somerset Stories’ series by Mimi Matthews, though the story takes place at the same time as the previous book Return to Satterthwaite Court. Ivo Beresford is the son of Maggie St Clare, and Meg Burton-Smythe is the daughter of Sir Frederick, who will be familiar to readers of a previous book in this series, Gentleman Jim. I recommend reading these books in order for the narrative to make sense.
Ivo and Meg meet by chance, but know that they should steer well clear of each other as their families do not get on. Neither of them know the full extent of the disagreement, and naively think a truce should be possible after all this time.
Most of the action takes place in the country, which makes a refreshing change from London during the Season with its strict rules of behaviour. Here there are different societal norms, and slightly more freedom. Ivo and Meg have had very different upbringings, she restricted at home with few friends her own age, and he just returned from a Grand Tour and all that that entails. It is gratifying to see how their characters develop (they are both so young at the start) with Meg growing in confidence and standing up to her bully of a father, and Ivo realising that he does not always know best.
As always, Mimi Matthews paints an authentic picture of Victorian Somerset and the expansion of the railways. My only criticism would be the abruptness of the ending. If I’m remembering it correctly, Camden Place in Bath is a reference to Persuasion. These books are fairly short and easy to read in a single sitting. I will now have to wait patiently for the next one, A Lady of Conscience, that will hopefully tell James’s story. Thanks to Perfectly Proper Press and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

Mimi Matthews does it again!

I was a bit wary of this book due to the FMC being the daughter of the utterly detestable villain from Gentleman Jim, so it took a long time for me to come round to reading this. Man, I wish I'd read it sooner!

As always, Matthews has written an incredible connection between two characters that just comes out of the page. I honestly think that so few writers are able to achieve what she does in every single book and I am always just in awe of everything she writes.

For anyone who hasn't read this yet, do it now!!!

Whoever wrote the blurb for the book's description needs to do some basic geographical research into English County names. Somersetshire does not exist. It is known as Somerset. Clumsy mistakes such as these are annoying. The romance between Ivo and Meg was sweet and tender they each had obstacles they had to over come but found they had the strength in each other.

Firstly, this cover is so beautiful!

This is the fourth book in Mimi Matthews "Somerset Stories" series, and I can't wait to read the rest! Ms. Matthew's writing is detailed, descriptive, moving, and so full of heart. Her storytelling jumps right off of the page, as do her characters. I truly did not want to put this book down!

(Possible Spoilers!)
Though their families are fighting (bringing forth a "Romeo and Juliet"-esque theme), the more time Meg and Ivo spend together, the deeper their feelings become. Meg and Ivo truly bring out the best in one another, and support each other in such a beautiful way. This book truly has so much in it: heartbreaking moments, heartwarming moments, shocking moments, sweet moments, and so much more.

If you enjoy Victorian Era Romance, I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading what Ms. Matthew's writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Perfectly Proper Press for the ARC of this novel, it is incredible! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really wanted to finish this book because I have heard great things about this author and it sounds like a wonderful book but the author kept using the Lords name in Vain which is very off putting for me, so I didn't funnies the book.

I absolutely adored the newest book in Mimi Matthews’s Somerset Stories series. As a huge fan of Gentleman Jim, I have loved reading the stories of the next generation.

Appointment in Bath really showed off Matthews’ range—it was so different from the previous books in the series. It is, above all, a sweet and hopeful story, with a recurring theme of building and crossing bridges. Ivo, as a hero, is kind and supportive, if a little naive. Meg is sweet and I love her growth throughout the story. The hero and heroine and definitely young, and I appreciate that they made decisions that felt true to their age, even if I wanted to redirect them more than once.

Can’t wait for the next installment. I love these characters! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy to read and review!

Another lovely read from Mimi Matthews! I love a good forbidden romance, and this one had all the ingredients for a charming journey. Ivo and Meg are adorable together!

So far, I've been a huge fan of Mimi Matthew's Somerset Series!

To me, "Appointment in Bath" was a little below the other books in the series, but still very enjoyable. As the author herself said, she wrote this book (and the previous one) as a thank-you to her fans who wanted to know what happened to "The Work of Art" and "Gentleman Jim" protagonists' children, but she wrote them in a simple manner, with a simpler plot. That makes total sense, and I'm still very grateful for this fun read!

Meg Burton-Smythe is the daughter of the worst enemy of the Beresford family, which put her right on the fringes of local society for her entire life. Shy and affected by a stammer, she rather enjoys spending time on her own, rather than mixing with local society, but that makes her a little lonely too. When she meets Ivo, the dashing son of the Beresford family, she wishes things were different, and hopes she might finally have found a friend...

This was a sweet romance with some conflict and angst, but not as much as one might expect, considering the explosive relationships between the parents of both families. Both characters are rather young, and a little immature, but they act in a way that is believable.

I loved that the author included a character with a difference—a stammer. As I have a friend who stammers too, I could more easily imagine what it was like for Meg and her friends and family, and I applaud the author for seamlessly adding this detail to the story without making a big deal out of it. Mimi Matthew is a wonderful writer, who artfully tells stories with great dialogues and well-paced plots, despite a slightly too-quick resolution.

Now, I'm very much looking forward to James' story!

*I received a free eARC on Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion*

This book has everything I love in a Mimi Matthew’s book. A sweet romance, and excellent depiction of this time period. Meg’s character was so sweet and I loved her little personally quirks and seeming shyness. Ivo was a great complementary character to Meg but I was irked a few times at how he went about merging their families and ignoring old grudges by forcing them all together without warning. But it all worked out and perhaps shows the imperfection of being human.

Can’t wait for James story next, I’m so curious how she’ll make those two personalities work because I’m a bit skeptical.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc. All opinions are my own

This was a surprising book in several ways. The main couple are both very young, and there is a Romeo and Juliet theme to the story. Meg, the heroine, is only 18, and has lived an unusually sheltered life. She rarely goes out even in local society. She has a stammer, which is worse when she must converse with people she doesn't know well. She lives with her irritable, reclusive father, who suffers from gout.

Ivo Beresford is a member of a nearly prominent family. He is a little older than Meg, and has completed university and his Grand Tour. He has a plan to create an new railway which would bring more opportunity and prosperity to the area.

One day he met Meg when she was out riding, and they soon began to meet regularly. When their families learned of their friendship, the reactions of both families were surprising to the couple, but nothing as shocking as when they learned the reason for the break between the families.

This is book 4 in the Somerset Stories series, and I highly recommend reading the series in order. I received a review copy from Perfectly Proper Press via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Appointment in Bath has been my favorite Somerset book yet!

A quick review:
Meg is living with her hardened father and meets the son of her father’s childhood foe. She is completely surprised to find him charming and that he does not mind that she stammers.

“I-I…” Her brows knit in frustration. “I stammer,” she blurted out at last. “In c-case you hadn’t n-noticed.” An unreadable emotion softened his gaze. “I had noticed, actually.” “Th-then you know why—” “It’s charming,” he said at the same time. She broke off. Butterflies materialized in her stomach, fluttering their wings like mad.

They meet in secret and begin to fall in love.

“He felt a surge of tenderness for her. “They wouldn’t. They’re reasonable people when it comes to it. And they love me. It must be enough that I l—” Ivo broke off abruptly, astonished by what he’d almost admitted. “I like you,” he amended. “That’s all that need be said on the matter.” A soft smile curved Meg’s mouth. “I like you, too, Ivo.””

Of course, their respective families find out and practically everyone is angry that these two young people have fallen for each other. Separations happen. Words are exchanged. Time passes. Good things happen (read the book to find them!) Then finally, the two lovers are allowed to be together.

“He held his mother’s gaze from across the room. Surely she, of all people, would offer a warm reception to the young lady he’d invited to Beasley. Lady Allendale looked back at him steadily. A glimmer of reluctant understanding flickered in her sapphire blue eyes. She alone seemed to comprehend the feelings he’d kept secret from everyone else. Feelings he hadn’t yet shared with Meg. Feelings he’d only recently begun to recognize for himself.”

A great read. If you have made it this far, may these quotes convince you to read the book. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars

What happens when two feuding families live too close for comfort and have children? A forbidden love story.

"Appointment in Bath", set in the Victorian era, is the fourth book in the Somerset Stories featuring the forbidden love between the Beresford's second son, Ivo Beresford, and the Burton-Smythe family's daughter, Meg Burton-Smythe. They both meet by accident as they were both kept at a distance since birth (literally an accident - she falls off her horse, and Ivo helps her unknowingly since he wasn't wearing his glasses). However, Ivo wants to look towards a progressive future, and as Meg is lonely, they decide to meet every morning without anyone knowing. Their friendship soon turns to attraction, but the hatred between the families looms over them. Along with that are the characters’ dreams and insecurities and how they must forge their own identity.

Mimi Matthews is a fantastic writer who can artfully tell stories with depth. I liked how both the characters’ desires and their blossoming love for each other were at an unhurried pace where the reader could connect with Ivo’s ambition to be more than just a Beresford and Meg’s utter loneliness with a tyrant father. The family feud, though in the background, brought in the angst that had me curious and worried for the couple. But more importantly, their individual growth as characters was satisfying as a reader.

The only concern I had was with the pacing in the final quarter. I would have loved to see Meg's move to Bath much earlier. The ending felt rushed, which mildly jarred with the slow beginning. But that does not take away the beauty of the sweet romance, and I am now waiting eagerly for the next book in the series.

I really loved this! Great addition to the Somerset series. I just loved Meg, could really relate to her, and Ivo was the perfect hero!

I really enjoy Mimi Matthews’ books but this was a tough one for me as I just couldn’t get into the two main characters, who are very young (as the author points out.). Nothing much happens either and their romance is not OK for their respective families until it is sort of thing.

I love reading Mimi Matthews' books because I know I will encounter a well-written romance with beautifully flawed characters whose personal dilemmas drive the story forward. I enjoyed Appointment in Bath but I did not love it.

Ivo Beresford and Meg Burton-Smythe, come from neighboring families who are considered enemies. Ivo and Meg become friends in secret and their feelings for one another begin to grow. This Romeo and Juliette theme could have produced some good angst and moments of real tension, but for me, it ended up flat. I felt that the internal and external conflicts were too easily resolved when there was potential for more stirring of the reader's emotions. As it was, nothing much seemed to be happening and the big climax didn't really happen.

This book didn't stand out for me as much as some of the other books I've read by Mimi Matthews. However, if you're looking for a clean historical romance, or a quick read, this one will do.

Mimi's ability to create stories interwoven with familiar characters from previous books is unsurpassed. Appointment in Bath is another beautiful continuation of the connection between the Heywoods (The Work of Art) and the Beresfords (Gentleman Jim) first seen in Return to Satterthwaite Court. I enjoyed the rather satisfying "resolution" to the antagonism between the parents of Ivo and Margaret--not becoming friends, but leading to a bit of "just desserts" for one of them—a clean and absolutely delightful story. I'm looking forward to reading about James and Hannah, and Jack and ?? (whose story may be the most interesting of all).

3 stars ✿

❛They’re fully aware you have my heart,❜ he said. ❛And once a Beresford man loses his heart, he’s lost it forever. There’s no going back.❜

i feel like i would have liked this book more had read it when i was in the right headspace and mood.

thank you to netgalley and mimi matthews for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. <3

Appointment in Bath is second in a series of historical romances by Mimi Matthews, featuring shy, awkward Meg and her neighbour love interest Ivo, who seems her opposite in many ways. The conflict comes in the form of a deep antagonism--for good reason--between their parents, though readers of earlier books will be more empathetic to Ivo's family for the division. Meg is incredibly sheltered and through her friendship with Ivo begins to grow and expand, while Ivo also matures when he realizes the true complexity of their family situation. Both characters are very young, and Matthews does a good job making them true to their ages, without any "too stupid to live" moments. There are no true surprises in this romance, simply a well-written, classic Mimi Matthews slow-burn, enjoyable like a cup of hot chocolate minus any extras.

An advanced reader's copy was generously provided by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.