Thursday, December 12, 2019

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: A Holiday By Gaslight: A Victorian Christmas Novella by Mimi Matthews

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring a lovely historical novella, A Holiday By Gaslight by Mimi Matthews.

About the Book
A Courtship of Convenience

Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He's grim and silent. A man of little emotion--or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she's ready to put an end to things.

A Last Chance for Love

But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn't as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there's Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What's a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there'll be no false formality. This time they'll get to know each other for who they really are.

Book Beginning
An icy late November breeze rustled the bare branches of the trees along the Serpentine. Hyde Park was practically deserted at this time of morning. And no wonder. It was freezing cold, the gray skies heavy with the scent of impending rain.

Friday 56
Her words were interrupted by an ungodly shriek. They both turned in the direction from whence it came. Another high-pitched shriek heralded the arrival of one of the aristocratic young ladies they'd left behind to gather pine boughs. She ran toward them through the woods, her skirts clutched in her hands.

Hosted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer

Is there a specific genre you like to read during the Winter?

I'm very much a mood reader and hop around genres quite often. I can never read more than two or three books in the same genre in a row or I find myself getting bored. Though I do try to read as many Christmas books as I can during December.


What have you been reading lately?

16 comments:

  1. A Holiday By Gaslight sounds like an excellent story. I'm going to add it to my TBR list.

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    1. It's a good one! Thanks for coming by, Breana! :)

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  2. I also get bored when I read the same genre too long, so I feel you! And 'A Holiday by Gaslight' sounds like a fun read, I'm very curious how Charles Darwin and Prince Albert figure into the story! I hope you have a lovely weekend and do drop by my Friday Post if you have the time! - Juli @ A Universe in Words

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    1. I had a lot of fun reading this one. Thanks for stopping by, Juli! :)

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  3. Gorgeous cover!!! Sounds like a great read too! Happy Friday the 13th weekend!

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  4. This looks like a really festive read, perfect for the time of year! I love the colors in the cover. Happy reading.

    Here's my Friday post.

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    1. It's definitely a festive read! Thanks for stopping by, Sammie! :)

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  5. I love books that include characters who were real. Charles Darwin and Prince Albert. That sounds fun. My quotes from THE DUTCH HOUSE

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    1. I love that too. It's always so interesting. Thanks for the visit, Anne! :)

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  6. I'm a mood reader, too...but I often find myself in the mood for a cute romance or two every Christmas. :)

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    1. Me too! There's nothing quite like a feel-good holiday romance this time of year. Thanks for coming by, Lark! :)

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  7. I hope you are enjoying A Holiday by Gaslight! I liked it when I read it. Your Book Blogger Hop answer is similar to how I would have answered had I took part. Like you, I tend to read by my moods, and like to mix up my reading. I do read holiday-themed books around this time of year though, which is probably the extent of any seasonal reading I may do. I hope you are enjoying the weekend!

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    1. I loved it! I'll definitely be adding more of Mimi Matthews' books to my reading list. Thanks for visiting! Hope you have a great rest of the weekend! :)

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  8. Sounds like it's perfect for this season.

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