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A review by sandlynn
Fair as a Star by Mimi Matthews
4.0
Fair as a Star is a short novel, published in 2020, by Mimi Matthews. It’s under 200 pages in length and may be the first in a series since it’s, subtitled “Victorian Romantics: Book One.” I just have no evidence that there’s a second book yet.
Unlike many historical romances I’ve read recently, this book is actually more of a slice of life in a English village and a character study. It’s set in Somerset in 1864. Beryl Burnham, who is the elder daughter of a local gentlewoman, of limited means, has returned to the village with her wealthy aunt after a year's long trip to Paris. The fact of her sudden departure, a year ago, after having agreed to marry the most eligible man in the area set tongues wagging. Sir Henry Rivenhall is a baron and landowner. He’s a single-minded, no nonsense young man, who has been steadfastly digging his property and tenants out of a bad financial situation left by his father. His younger brother, Mark Rivenhall, is a curate, who is expected to take charge of the local church from its elderly vicar as long as his brother awards him the living.
The two brothers greet Beryl’s return differently. Henry is impatient for he and Beryl to marry and is annoyed that she left the country so unexpectedly, inviting gossip and scandal. Mark, who has long held feelings for Beryl, is trying to remain friends without revealing anything. However, this becomes difficult when Beryl comes to Mark for comfort, confessing to him the real reason she left England so suddenly, bringing them closer together.
I really enjoyed this short novel. It focused on issues that we don’t often see in romantic historicals that you might also find in a modern setting, such as mental illness, which was not understood as well in the 1800s. The characters felt real, and although Sir Henry verged on a villain at times, he ultimately comes off as a decent man who is ill-matched with Beryl. There’s a number of subplots that bring the supporting characters to life involving the elderly vicar, an ill congregant’s dog, an abusive, alcoholic husband, Beryl’s horse loving younger sister, and the new doctor who brings more modern medical knowledge to the village. In fact, I wouldn’t have minded if the book was longer so that we saw more of the relationship between the sister and the doctor, but maybe that’s for a future book. Ultimately, I loved how Beryl took charge of her situation, after appearing to be so passive. I honestly was surprised by some of what she did. And I loved how supportive Mark was and how their problems were not all tied up in a neat bow. I would give this book a B+, possibly an A-.
Oh, and the book’s cover really suggests the mood of the book and is lovely.
Unlike many historical romances I’ve read recently, this book is actually more of a slice of life in a English village and a character study. It’s set in Somerset in 1864. Beryl Burnham, who is the elder daughter of a local gentlewoman, of limited means, has returned to the village with her wealthy aunt after a year's long trip to Paris. The fact of her sudden departure, a year ago, after having agreed to marry the most eligible man in the area set tongues wagging. Sir Henry Rivenhall is a baron and landowner. He’s a single-minded, no nonsense young man, who has been steadfastly digging his property and tenants out of a bad financial situation left by his father. His younger brother, Mark Rivenhall, is a curate, who is expected to take charge of the local church from its elderly vicar as long as his brother awards him the living.
The two brothers greet Beryl’s return differently. Henry is impatient for he and Beryl to marry and is annoyed that she left the country so unexpectedly, inviting gossip and scandal. Mark, who has long held feelings for Beryl, is trying to remain friends without revealing anything. However, this becomes difficult when Beryl comes to Mark for comfort, confessing to him the real reason she left England so suddenly, bringing them closer together.
I really enjoyed this short novel. It focused on issues that we don’t often see in romantic historicals that you might also find in a modern setting, such as mental illness, which was not understood as well in the 1800s. The characters felt real, and although Sir Henry verged on a villain at times, he ultimately comes off as a decent man who is ill-matched with Beryl. There’s a number of subplots that bring the supporting characters to life involving the elderly vicar, an ill congregant’s dog, an abusive, alcoholic husband, Beryl’s horse loving younger sister, and the new doctor who brings more modern medical knowledge to the village. In fact, I wouldn’t have minded if the book was longer so that we saw more of the relationship between the sister and the doctor, but maybe that’s for a future book. Ultimately, I loved how Beryl took charge of her situation, after appearing to be so passive. I honestly was surprised by some of what she did. And I loved how supportive Mark was and how their problems were not all tied up in a neat bow. I would give this book a B+, possibly an A-.
Oh, and the book’s cover really suggests the mood of the book and is lovely.