A Lady of Conscience - Review

A Lady of Conscience (Somerset Stories, # 5)

By: Mimi Matthews

Publication: July 30, 2024 by Perfectly Proper Press

248 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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Goodreads description--A Victorian bluestocking with a passion for lost causes attracts the unwilling attention of a frost-hearted viscount during her tumultuous debut season in Bath in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews’s fifth book in her acclaimed Somerset Stories series.

West Country beauty Hannah Heywood may be quiet with fashionable strangers, but when it comes to animals in need, she has no trouble finding her voice. Newly arrived in Bath for her very first season, all she desires is to find one like-minded gentleman. A man of warmth and compassion, as sensitive to animals as he is to people. But if such a man exists, he dare not approach her. Not with the tall, blond, and menacing Viscount St. Clare standing in the way.

James Beresford, Viscount St. Clare has often been described as a sentient block of ice. A man so cold and dispassionate, he would never suit a young lady of Hannah’s disposition. And she would certainly never suit him. Focused on repairing his family’s infamous reputation, James requires a diamond of the first water. The daughter of a duke or a marquess, at least, not a simple country girl with a passion for four-legged creatures.

And yet, there’s something about conscience-driven young Hannah that draws James, first to Bath, and then into one increasingly hare-brained scheme after another. She confounds him at every turn, subverting his expectations and threatening to do what no lady has succeeded in doing before—thawing his ice-cold heart.

I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy A Lady of Conscience. I am a fan of Mimi Matthews, and I've read nearly all of her published books. But I wasn't sure if the vegan idea would be pushed at the reader or just part of Hannah's character. Of course, I don't have anything against someone choosing to be a vegan, but I didn't want there to be preaching at me through the character or storyline. If this is something you're worried about, don't worry. It's just part of Hannah's character. 

I'm struggling to find something to say about this book. It won't fall to be my least favorite Mimi Matthews book, but it certainly wasn't one of my favorites either. James and Hannah met because James's sister, Kate, and Hannah's brother Charles developed a relationship. Hannah seems to have attracted James's eye nearly immediately. Yet, she finds him to be cold and distant. He has spent much of his life trying his best to remain controlled and impervious to the thoughts and feelings of others as a result of their family's scandalous past. So it makes sense that Hannah wouldn't immediately feel like he is someone she could see herself with.

Hannah does thaw James as he desires for her hand yet he doesn't go about pursuing it in a way that Hannah can get on board with at first. It takes her some convincing that he isn't as cold and uncaring as he may seem. 

Ultimately, I felt like their problems were resolved a little too easily. I'm thankful that Mimi Matthews didn't force drama upon them that wasn't natural, but things were just a little quicker and easier than I expected. I, also, expected that James might fight his attraction to Hannah a little more than he did. Isn't it interesting how much our expectations influence how much we enjoy a book? I did feel like James pulled a similar move to our beloved Darcy when he initially voiced his intentions to Hannah. He did so in an almost insulting way.

Favorite quotes:

-"Marriage isn't a waltz," she said. "It's a partnership. I don't desire to be led. And I don't desire to change into something I'm not. When I marry, it will be to a gentleman who values me as I am."

-"I don't believe love is ever a burden."

-"I like what I see," James said, looking at her. Hannah's cheeks turned petal pink, just as he'd hoped they would. She bent her head, briefly shielding her face from his view behind the brim of her straw bonnet. "I don't know how to reply when you say such things." "Would you rather I didn't say them?" "No, but...I should like to better prepare myself." "Next time I compliment you," he said solemnly, "I'll take care to give you adequate warning."

-"I must caution you," James said. "A compliment is forthcoming."

James and Hannah had a sweet story. Theirs wasn't a terribly difficult journey even though it was somewhat different than I expected. I was thankful that even though Hannah has strong convictions about animals and her diet, I never felt preached to as if the author was trying to influence my opinion as the reader. I appreciate this a lot. Of course, I look forward to Jack's story to come. A Lady of Conscience gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read A Lady of Conscience? What did you think? Let me know!