Review: The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

About the Book

A silver-haired equestrienne and a charismatic artist turn a scandalous bargain into a vibrant portrait of love.

Stella Hobhouse is a brilliant rider, stalwart friend, skilled sketch artist—and completely overlooked. Her outmodish gray hair makes her invisible to London society. Combined with her brother’s pious restrictions and her dwindling inheritance, Stella is on the verge of a lifetime marooned in Derbyshire as a spinster. Unless she does something drastic…like posing for a daring new style of portrait by the only man who’s ever really seen her.

Aspiring painter Edward “Teddy” Hayes knows true beauty when he sees it. He would never ask Stella to risk her reputation as an artist’s model but in the five years since a virulent bout of scarlet fever left him partially paralyzed, Teddy has learned to heed good fortune when he finds it. He’ll do anything to persuade his muse to pose for him, even if he must offer her a marriage of convenience.

After all, though Teddy has yearned to trace Stella’s luminous beauty on canvas since their chance meeting, her heart is what he truly aches to capture….

My Review

Stella and Teddy are both oddities in society, and keenly feel that sense of isolation, even with friends and family as supports. I love how they inadvertently came across each other, later discovering how connected they really are through their friends. It was easy to connect to the emotions of the characters, and feel the longing they both have for some sense of normalcy, yet also to follow their dreams. Teddy helps Stella embrace her differences and see herself as beautiful instead of peculiar. Stella does the same for Teddy, seeing his amazing skills and talents instead of just his limitations. They have wonderful chemistry and their interactions were so fun to read! I loved how Stella didn't capitulate to Teddy's requests out of pity, but made sure she was in the right frame of mind to embark on such a daring venture. The characters from the previous books in this series as well as some from the author's Parish Orphans of Devon series made this book feel like coming home, and now I want to read them all over again ;)  

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss the previous books in the Belles of London series . . .