I would like to thank netgalley and Perfectly Proper Press for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Second chance romance in Victorian England.

Interesting storyline with engaging characters.

This book is Beauty and the Beast in a Victorian setting. I surprised myself by liking it rather well. I do like Victorian settings, but it's hard to re-work a famous story sometimes. It's quite cliche in many ways, but still, a sweet read. It was a bit aggravating in the way that things were so touch-and-go for so long with the main characters.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

I thought this book was very well done. I love a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, and this one did not disappoint.
Sylvia Stafford, once a sought after young lady, has been forced to leave her former life and become a governess. One day, the sister of Sylvia's former love visits and begs Sylvia to come visit her brother to save him from doing something desperate because he has been badly injured in the war and needs cheering up. Sylvia reluctantly agrees, and what follows is an untangling of misunderstandings and a rekindling friendship. Can Sylvia and the Earl reconcile with each other?
This book kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. I liked the story and I thought this book ended well. I didn't care for the mild profanity or suggestive content, but other than that I enjoyed the story and the characters' development as the story unfolded. I thought the author handled the subjects of prejudice, communication, and misunderstandings very well.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lovely short Victorian romance about misunderstandings and opportunities lost. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review by the publisher. It's a really enjoyable quick read - perfect for a plane or train ride.
The story finds Sylvia Stafford working as a Governess for a middle-class family, after her father has lost all their money and committed suicide.
Colonel Sebastian Conrad has returned from India with a scarred face and heart, believing that Sylvia deserted him after playing false with his affections.
Both still love each other, although there has been no contact in 3 years.
But when Conrad's meddling sister brings them together again they realise there is much they don't know about their separation 3 years past, especially some missing and incriminating letters ...
Well worth a read if you are looking for something sweet and well-written.

The lost letter è un breve romanzo di ambientazione vittoriana che strizza vagamente l'occhio alla fiaba de La Bella e la Bestia.


Sylvia, la protagonista, è la figlia di un baronetto caduta in disgrazia dopo il suicidio del padre, e che si è rassegnata ad una vita dignitosa ma solitaria da governante.
Sebastian, la "bestia" della storia, da secondogenito di un nobile, si era arruolato per l'India, da cui torna con orribili cicatrici fisiche e spirituali, e, dopo la morte di padre e fratello, si ritrova di malavoglia nuovo conte di Radcliffe.
I due avevano intrattenuto una breve quanto intensa relazione durante una delle tante season londinesi, relazione approdata a nulla a causa di un inganno, e creduta da entrambi naufragata a causa dell'altro. Il motivo, purtroppo, risulta piuttosto chiaro dal titolo rivelatore.
Tuttavia Julia, la vivacissima e caparbia sorella di Sebastian, decide di ritrovare quella Sylvia un tempo amata dal fratello, per cercare di ridare a quest'ultimo una felicità che pare averlo abbandonato per sempre.

Assistiamo così all'ingresso della bella nel castello della bestia, ai loro battibecchi, ad un'improbabile scena in biblioteca durante la quale l'antico malinteso viene finalmente chiarito... solo per lasciare il posto ad un nuovo fraintendimento!
La forte e aperta Sylvia, che aveva saputo riprendere in mano le fila di una vita distrutta, che aveva chiesto chiaramente e a gran voce a Sebastian i motivi della sua acredine, che per ben due volte era stata, tra i due, colei che aveva fatto il primo passo, scappa via come una ragazzina a causa di un equivoco che avrebbe potuto essere chiarito immediatamente.



Il romanzo di Mimi Matthews parte da premesse interessanti, ma si perde a metà strada per rincorrere l'angst a tutti i costi, che rovina anche il personaggio di Sylvia.
Il futuro dei protagonisti, le loro azioni e reazioni al sicuro sprezzo della società non vengono indagati (e di certo il rintanarsi nel castello mi pare una fuga, nonché un'azione improbabile da parte di un conte con delle responsabilità e, alla lunga, una prigione per la povera sposa). Mi sarebbe piaciuto vedere più interazioni tra i due dopo il riavvicinamento finale, il loro rimarginarsi a vicenda le ferite che, paradossalmente, nel caso di Sylvia mi sembrano anche più profonde.

Lo stile è semplice e piuttosto acerbo, con molte ripetizioni, ma l'autrice brilla in almeno due punti: nella descrizione della fine del rapporto tra Sylvia e la sua cameriera Button, ed in quella della lezione alle piccole Dinwiddy.

The lost letter non è un romanzo memorabile, che faccia sognare od emozionare, ma è piacevole e si legge in fretta. Se fosse stato sviluppato meglio, o se avesse seguito più da vicino la storia della Bella e la Bestia, diventandone una sorta di retelling, sarebbe stato di certo più interessante.

*thank you to NetGalley and Smith Publicit­y for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

2 stars.
I struggled with this. I like historical novels. I love the Victoria era. I love fairytale retellings. This should have been a perfect match for me, but I found I couldn't really get into it. My mind wandered and I was a bit bored at times. But, given the positive reviews for this id still recommend giving it a go yourself if you seem interested. While I didnt enjoy it, its not to say that other readers wont. I will give this another go someday and see if the outcome is different for me.

The Lost Letter was a pretty good read. Looking forward to more by this author in the future.

Refreshing Beauty and the Beast story of true love gone astray.

Sylvia Stafford, once a society diamond of the first water is left impoverished and shunned when her high rolling father takes his own life. She finds sustenance and a certain amount of peace as a governess with a kindly merchant's wife.
Unexpectedly coming into an earldom, Colonel Sebastian Conrad, badly scarred and emotionally tortured from the terror that was the Sepoy Rebellion, has withdrawn from any form of society, to his estates in Hertfordshire.
Sylvia and Sebastian had been in love. An understanding between them as Sebastian left for active duty in India was cut short when promises were not held to. Each feels betrayed and hurt.
Conrad's feather headed sister concocts a scheme to bring them together. Anything to have her beloved brother return from his self imposed hermit lifestyle.
However misunderstandings and broken promises seem to get in the way of any form reconciliation.
A pleasing read!

A NetGalley ARC
(September 2017)

This was a clean romantic story. I appreciated that it was kisses only and no intimacy. The story line of falling in love and the miscommunication due to lost letters was delightful and kept the pace of the book flowing nicely. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed the secondary character, Julie as a sister very much. I plan to read more by this author.

London - 1860

Sylvia Stafford works as a governess for the Dinwiddie family and before her father took his own life, she was known as Miss Stafford of Newell Park in Kent.

Today, Sylvia is being visited by Lady Julia Harker who tells her that Julia’s brother, Colonel Sebastian Conrad, has just returned from fighting in India and is now the Earl of Radcliffe. Since his return, he has been very unhappy and has a short temper. He had been badly injured in India which left his face scarred and blind in one eye. He is also in a lot of pain and doesn’t want people to see him.

When Sylvia was younger, she had met Sebastian at soirees. When he asked her for a lock of her hair, she agreed. It appears that her hair has been the thing that has sustained him through all of the conflict in India. Sebastian had loved Sylvia and she loved him but he left to fight before they could declare themselves to one another. Now, Julia wants Sylvia to accompany her to Pershing Hall where her brother lives. Julia hopes that seeing Sylvia again will help Sebastian. So, Sylvia’a employer generously gives her leave from her job for a month and she accompanies Julia.

When they arrive at Pershing Hall, Sebastian is rude to Sylvia because he is embarrassed by his scars. But he soon reveals that she never answered the letters he sent her. When she tells him that she had been hurt because he never answered the letters she sent him, they realize that someone was trying to keep them apart. Who and why?

This is an interesting book but it tends to be a bit slow and boring. I found that it needed more activity to enliven the story. However, as a debut novel, I think the author did a good job. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I had no idea what to expect from this one. Small, unknown publisher, and a cover - while I love it for all the Victorian feelings, and wish more covers looked like this - that didn’t line up with my idea of a historical romance cover.
However, I LOVED this book. I really, really enjoyed it, loved that it was a proper romance, with a proper Victorian feel. I loved the angst and the genuine pain the characters seemed to feel. I loved that - as other reviews I’ve read have stated - that this felt like *HISTORICAL* romance.
It is a so-called “clean romance” (ugh, that term! - it means no sex), but this particular story would have been ruined with it.
While it seems to the hero that all the pain is on his side - after all, he is the one who was wounded badly in India after seeming to lose his (almost) fiancée - there is a moment around the halfway point where he realises what happened to that lost fiancée in the three years they were apart, and realises how awful her situation has been.
There’s one very sad, emotional scene that made me feel more than I’ve felt in many books, and even though I was reading in the early hours of the morning I just had to go on.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters, and that while they initially seemed to be stereotypes, they weren’t.
I don’t know what such a talented author and such a high-quality book is doing in such an obscure situation, but I hope to see more Victorian-era (yay!) books from this author.

I'm not used to read novels which give an historic background or from the ''Victorian'' era. I believe that Mimi Matthews made an excellent book, because even though it has some clichés (every book has it), it has some twists which appeals to the reader's curiosity. It's true that some moments were a bit predictable, but once you read this kind of novels, you come to the conclusion that it's almost impossible to not find the same main ideas in 3/4 books.
First of all, I like the way the writer describes the environment, I enjoy those detailed scenarios, which feed my and yours imagination and makes it easier to live inside the story. The dialogues between the characters are really well done, in factyouu can assume that they are authentic to the years.
The only down on this book is probably the title, when I was searching online, I found out that there were many books with the same or a similar title. Once I read the book, that little problem didn't matter at all.

It may be a spoiler, but I liked the fact that there was not a love triangle. I'm so over that! It's just to obvious and gladly that didn't happen. It's a very easy to read kind of book and it also has many funny and romantic moments. Ah, love is in the air!

Based on the beautiful cover and catnip tropes – a wounded hero, opposites, second chance love – and its fairy tale premise, I had high hopes for The Lost Letter and I wasn’t disappointed. Mimi Matthews’ début novel is deeply romantic, and I enjoyed every (little) bit of it. Her principals are an appealing pair, and the circumstances that force them apart – just as they’ve fallen deeply in love – hooked me right away. On the downside, Ms. Matthews does her principals – and the story – a disservice by delivering neither a traditionally short novella or full-length novel, and it’s a missed opportunity. Secondary characters are underdeveloped, which is unfortunate for many reasons, but mostly because I liked them and wanted to know more about their backstories and motivations. The Lost Letter is a sweetly moving love story… I just wish there had been more of it.

Sylvia Stafford never thought she would end up in Cheapside working as a governess, but when her father lost everything in a game of cards and then took his own life, she had few other options. Destitute and alone – abandoned by fair-weather friends and without family to turn to – Sylvia became governess to the two young daughters of the merchant Dinwoody family. Treated fairly and with kindness by her employers, she’s spent the past two years trying (and failing) to forget the past and make peace with her new station in life. Unfortunately, her memories of Sebastian Conrad have been harder to forget.

Three years earlier, Sylvia fell deeply in love with Colonel Sebastian Conrad, the second son of the Earl of Radcliffe. She spent a heady season falling in love, but never confessed her feelings to him; when Sebastian was sent to India to help put down the Sepoy Rebellion shortly after their first kiss, Sylvia penned dozens of letters to him finally confessing her love and devotion. To her dismay, Sebastian never responded. Desperate for some sign of his affection, Sylvia continued to write even in the face of his rejection and in spite of her father’s (selfish) entreaties to find another, wealthier suitor. After her father committed suicide, Sylvia knew she would never see or hear from Sebastian again. Still hurt by his rejection but resigned to life as a spinster, Sylvia has made peace with the past and tried to forget Sebastian.

Unbeknownst to Sylvia, Sebastian returned to England badly wounded and with his face horribly disfigured. Upon his return, he learned his father and brother were dead, and that he was now the Earl of Radcliffe. But when his sister Julia swooned after seeing his injuries for the first time, Sebastian retreated to the family home in rural Hertfordshire, choosing to spend his days living in lonely isolation with only his valet (and former batman) Milsom for company. His only comfort is a lock of hair given to him by Sylvia Stafford the last time he saw her. Despite fond memories of the blissful weeks they spent together before he left for India – memories that helped him survive the horrors of war and a subsequent confinement after he was injured – he’s never forgotten Sylvia, or forgiven her for jilting him. Oops.

Fortunately, we have Sebastian’s much younger sister – the beautiful, meddling, Lady Julia Harker – willing and able to reunite this stubborn, lovesick pair, which she does with the help of the delightfully impertinent Milson. A relentlessly optimistic and hopeful Lady Julia becomes convinced that if she can bring Sylvia to Sebastian, her brother will be happy once again, and after a bit of digging, she tracks Sylvia to Cheapside and implores her to come with her to Hertfordshire.

Oh reader. Lady Julia is silly and ridiculous, and the premise on which this story unfolds is flimsy at best, but I liked it anyway! Sebastian and Sylvia cherish memories of their past (the flashbacks are a highlight), and Ms. Matthews does a wonderful job contrasting who they are with who they once were. When Julia arrives with a friend, Sebastian is irritated, but when he spots Sylvia, he’s shocked. Memories of Sylvia assail him… but unfortunately, in a comedy of errors perpetuated by his flighty sister, Sebastian mistakenly assumes Sylvia is only after his fortune. Resentful and hurt after her long ago rejection (and unaware of her father’s suicide), he’s rude, condescending and dismissive, treating her like the fortune hunter he believes her to be. Sylvia is similarly overwhelmed to see Sebastian again, and horrified by what he must have suffered. She isn’t horrified by him, but for him, and despite the pain of his long ago rejection she struggles to forge a friendship with him.

The Lost Letter relies heavily on one of my least favorite romantic tropes – the Big Misunderstanding – but Ms. Matthews doesn’t belabor it once our principals reunite in Hertfordshire. Sylvia reveals early on that she did indeed write to Sebastian, but Sebastian – shocked to learn Sylvia never jilted him – fails to tell her he never received her letters. I’m not going to tell you why Sebastian never received the letters (that little mystery is solved by Milsom), but his omission results in yet another misunderstanding that further delays a reunion between the couple. When Sebastian finally discovers what Sylvia wrote to him long ago, the letter overwhelms him and… well, this jaded romance reader may have shed a tear, too.

Sebastian, our “Beast,” and Sylvia, our “Beauty,” are a wonderfully opposite pair. It’s easy to see how they fell for one another, and once they finally reunite, sparks fly right away. I do wish Ms. Matthews had spent more time developing her principals, because even though I liked them and their relationship, and I sympathized with the circumstances that forced them apart – a credit to Ms. Matthews’ strong writing – we deserved more time getting to know them when they first fell for each other (before their lives changed so dramatically), and once they finally reunite and the truth behind their separation is revealed. I’m torn over my feelings for Lady Julia; she’s often inappropriate and ridiculous for a person in her position in Victorian era England, but I liked her anyway and am willing to overlook those faults. Lady Julia always has Sebastian’s best interests at heart, and despite his rebuffing her attempts to get close to him, she perseveres. It’s an oddly endearing sisterly love. I also enjoyed Milsom and his meddling… I don’t usually like ‘buddy valets’, but the relationship between these two men and their genuine affection for one another strikes just the right balance between friend and employer.

The Lost Letter, though short (too short!) is an emotionally satisfying second chance love story. It doesn’t break any new ground, but Ms. Matthews does a terrific job developing the attraction between Sylvia and Sebastian, and delivers a happily ever after that’s both romantic and believable. I’ll be looking forward to more from this promising new historical romance author.

I think the historical romance books become a little addicting overtime. They seem to have many of the same components: the blushing virgin, a cranky beau, a misunderstanding, and finally the declaration. It’s what the author does with this traditional system that makes all the difference.

Mimi Matthews has crafted a unique plot with some pretty traditional elements along a twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast story. While the story is a bit shorter than a typical novel, I actually appreciated the fact that you could get an entertaining and engaging read without the extraneous detail and conversation that you sometimes get in longer historical romance novels.

The author created solid characters that had a prior relationship in the years past. Things change, people change, and situations put them together again.

With lovely writing skills that develop the story from two points of view, the caring and emotional connection these two people have can be felt right on the pages. You can see firsthand how anger and loss affects a person. You find yourself hoping that misunderstandings get cleared faster so they can get to happily ever after. Then you can breathe a deep breath.

Perfect read for those that love a story written in the traditional style, The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews is wonderful diversion that you want to take. I know I did.

This book hit me in all the mushy spots. First off, Sylvia is a book lover and a bit of a grafter despite the raw deal that she’s been handed, so I couldn’t help but love her. Then there’s Julia, who’s probably the most annoying little creature since Jane Austen’s Lydia, who is somehow still endearing and manages to steal the show. And then there’s Radcliff who manages to say all the wrong things at all the wrong times, jumps to conclusions, and who shouldn’t be left to stew in his dangerous imagination who manages to overcome his own delusions and stubbornness to become a terrific romantic hero.

And lets face it, I’m a sucker for period costumes. The descriptions of the clothing and costumes in this book are so spot on it hurts. reading something like this so close to halloween for me is practically suicidal. I’ll be dreaming of nothing but gathered skirts, petticoats, and ribboned bonnets for days to come. But more than anything I love how the clothing symbolized the changes, moods, and station of every character in the book. I loved knowing what to expect from the descriptions, which is one of the most interesting foreshadowing techniques I have seen in a good long while.

Finally, part of me really loves how creepy Radcliff was. Seriously though, lurking in the upstairs windows watching the ladies ride by? Getting jealous over a smile? Hello stalker! The sticking to the shadows was also a fun touch, and so was trolling the house at midnight. Broody, entitles, and ridiculously rich makes for a fun combination and it certainly kept me turning the pages even if Radcliff wasn’t intended to be the comic relief.

Would I recommend this book? Heck yes! Grab your wine, chocolate, and scented candles because this baby deserves a little ambiance. I will be keeping this one on my beach reading list, and have no doubts that I will be revisiting it again in the not too distant future.

Other than Jane Austen and the Bronté sisters, there are very few Victorian romances that I have read. I have been put off by romance novels for quite some time now; probably age has made me think of them as frivolous. But I do pick them carefully now, ones which have a little more than just romance. I was not disappointed with this book as it dealt with one of the themes that I really like reading about – Second Chances.

Sylvia was a baronet’s daughter and quite popular in society with lot of suitors but her heart only belonged to Colonel Sebastian. He too felt the same but they never did communicate their feelings and ultimately got separated. It’s been three years, Sylvia is working as a governess after her father’s suicide and Sebastian has been scarred brutally by the war in India. When his well meaning but meddlesome sister Julia decides that it’s time they marry, both of them are thrust into each other’s company unexpectedly. What follows is a tale of past memories, betrayals, paranoia and unforgettable first love. Will they be able to reconcile with their past and love each other again?

This is a well written book with a heart touching love story. It shows us again that we should all give each other a chance before making our own assumptions and wallowing in misery. The book is also sized like a novella and can be finished in a single sitting. A nice read for a bright and sunny day along with a hot cup of coffee for company.

PS: I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A little lacking in the type of character development that would have you emphasize with the main characters, and very little exploration of the social peculiarities of the time that can make a period piece so appealing.

A realistic retelling of Beauty and the Beast meets a story of love defeating the bonds of societal matchmaking...

A chance meeting begins a love story that could stand the test of the war if letters that were written weren't allowed to be delivered. Would you wait? This is a fantastic journey into the heart of loving past appearances and title to the beauty of belonging to each other.

This was a story set in England during the 1800's. It had a nice storyline...filled with miscommunication, lack of communication, and communication gone awry. The main characters, Sylvia and Sebastian, were strong and determined to protect their true feelings to avoid further heartache. On an aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the sister of Sebastian as well. The storyline was different from any other book I have read, so enjoyed seeing how these two people would eventually come back together again. I was given a copy of this book for my honest review. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical romances.

Publisher's Description:

England, 1860. An impoverished Victorian beauty is unexpectedly reunited with the now beastly earl who once broke her heart. Will they finally find their happily ever after? Or are some fairy-tale endings simply not meant to be?

A PROUD BEAUTY

When the tragic death of her gamester father leaves her destitute and alone, society beauty Sylvia Stafford finds work as a governess in a merchant's household in Cheapside. Isolated from the fashionable acquaintance of her youth, she resigns herself to lonely spinsterhood...until a mysterious visitor convinces her to temporarily return to her former life--and her former love.

A SCARRED BEAST

Colonel Sebastian Conrad is no longer the dashing cavalry officer Sylvia once fell in love with. Badly scarred during the Sepoy Rebellion, he has withdrawn to his estate in rural Hertfordshire where he lives in near complete seclusion. Brooding and tormented, he cares nothing for the earldom he has inherited--and even less for the faithless beauty who rejected him three years before.

A SECOND CHANCE

A week together in the remote Victorian countryside is the last thing either of them ever wanted. But when fate intervenes to reunite them, will a beastly earl and an impoverished beauty finally find their happily ever after? Or are some fairy-tale endings simply not meant to be?

My Thoughts;

This is the first time I have read anything by this author but it certainly will not be the last if I find anything else by her.
I looked her up through Bing Searches and found only one other book by her that appears to be a Historical Fiction title. It does not release until November so this book which releases September 19, 2017 is her debut novel.
I enjoyed this tale of second chances.
Interfering family as almost always had a hand in this tale.
A scarred hero and a thought to be faithless beauty are the catalyst in this well written tale.
Conrad's love fro Sylvia is unmistakable but after leaving for war and never hearing from the beauty that has captured his heart he thinks she has forgotten him.
Sylvia thinks much the same as after writing to Conrad almost every day with no response she thinks he was only playing with her affections.
The interference of Sylvia's father and her maid are solely responsible for what has happened.
Now Conrad's younger sister has sought Sylvia out because she is sure this woman is just what her brother needs to bring him back to life after the battle that caused his scars.
This debut novel is a very well written and surprisingly poignant read. I made certain that there was no other books found that have been published by this author because it was hard to believe this could possibly be a debut effort.
I gave this book 4.25 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development and a sensual rating of 3 of 5 flames.
I would only have liked to see a little more delving into the original meeting of this hero and heroine.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book to read from the publisher via NetGalley.
This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.