“A wounded animal will bite and claw,” she said to Mrs. Ogilvy. “And it often cannot tell friend from foe. One mustn’t judge such a creature too harshly.”–Mimi Matthew, The Work of Art
Phyllida Satterthwaite leaves her home in rural Devonshire to live with her relatives in London after the deaths of her parents. In her home town she was considered odd because of her two differently colored eyes–one blue and one green. In London, however, this oddity brings her a great deal of attention, particularly from the powerful Duke of Moreland, a man notorious for collecting unique art treasures and for the highly suspicious death of his wife. Phyllida is desperate to avoid marriage to the duke and her relatives who favor the match are of no help. She turns to a new acquaintance for assistance. Captain Arthur Hayward, a decorated war hero was severely injured in the Peninsular War and can no longer walk unaided or shoot a pistol, but he can offer his name and protection to Phyllida. A marriage of convenience seems to be the perfect answer but as circumstances become more complicated, Phyllida and Arthur wonder what they’ve gotten themselves into.
This book was my first introduction to author Mimi Matthews and I enjoyed it. I have since read many other of her books. Her characters are well drawn and have a lot of chemistry. If you like compelling and clean romance, you can’t go wrong with this book. This is the first book in the Somerset Stories series.
Content Advisory: Gun violence