The Lily of Ludgate Hill

These past two years, Mimi Matthews has become one of my favorite authors. I’ve loved her Belles of London series, which is now back with its third installment, The Lily of Ludgate Hill. Lady Anne Deveril and her nemesis Felix Hartford get their happily ever after, but it’s hard-earned and will take them some time to rebuild their trust!

Special thanks to Mimi Matthews, Berkley Romance, Austenprose PR, and NetGalley for the review copy of this book!

Summary

Nearly seven years ago, Anne Deveril and Felix Hartford had a private romance and secretly became engaged. But when her dad passed away and the two were separated for a year, they were never able to rekindle their relationship. They had a huge falling out and have been only argumentative acquaintances since. But when Anne’s good friend Julia is evidently abducted, she takes it upon herself to rescue her friend from the evil Captain Blunt. Anne reluctantly enlists Hart’s help, and he ends up accompanying Anne and her mother Lady Arundell on a trip to Yorkshire. It’s during this trip that Anne and Hart start to fan their long-simmering flames… but it will take a lot more time to fully get back into each other’s good graces. Hart wants to win back Anne’s affections, but how can the two finally overcome what happened all those years earlier? 

Review

If you’ve been reading the Belles of London series, you may have noticed the tension (and chemistry!) between Lady Anne and Felix “Hart” Hartford. There’s definitely some history between the two, and surely their antagonism is a mask for some deeper feelings. Indeed, it’s been almost seven years since the two were secretly, briefly engaged, but their falling out left undeniable scars. Anne no longer trusts Hart, and he doesn’t think she’ll ever choose him over her long-grieving mother. 

The first third of The Lily of Ludgate Hill is a bit of a road trip romance, with Anne, Hart, and Lady Arundell absconding north to Yorkshire in an attempt to “rescue” Julia from Captain Blunt. Anne and Hart are forced into each other’s company for the first time in years, and it allows a chance for them to open up those old wounds… but maybe not to heal them. That will take a lot more time and care. 

I love the depiction of friendships in The Lily of Ludgate Hill. It’s Anne’s devotion to her friend Julia that sets off her romance with Hart. Anne is also still close with Evelyn (now engaged) and Stella (due for her own love story in the next book). These friendships are one of her few outlets and joys, along with riding her aging stallion, Saffron. But since her father’s death nearly seven years ago, she’s been stuck in a state of mourning and caring for her grieving mother. I appreciate the themes of grief, healthy distractions or outlets, and how a daughter might make herself smaller to accommodate her mother’s grief. These are heavy topics, but treated so well here. 

Hart has his own issues to work through: two secrets he’s been closely guarding for years. First, he has three half-siblings who no one knows about. Second, despite being a gentleman, he’s in trade—how vulgar and scandalous! But the thing about secrets is they’ll have to come out eventually. How will his family react? How will Anne?

Another theme in the book is the importance of environment on a person. Hart compares Anne to a Himalayan lily, a flower that can only bloom in the right soil and with years of care. Indeed, Anne has been stifled for so long, perhaps in part by the gloom that hangs over her Mayfair home. When she and her mother are forced to relocate, they end up on Ludgate Hill (hence the book’s title). While this may be difficult for them at first, it actually breathes new life into Anne. The vibrance and diversity of her new home bring her out of her shell and reinvigorates her, ushering in her ultimate transformation. I loved this particular part of the book and seeing Anne come back to herself a bit.

Hart and Anne have quite the journey in their years-long relationship: friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. With so much in their past, it takes months for them to rekindle what they lost, and it’s a sweet and romantic ride from start to end. 

Final Thoughts

The Lily of Ludgate Hill is another stellar love story within the Belles of London series, filled with heartfelt themes and a tender happily ever after that is well earned. I love the value of friendship and animal companions, the themes of family, and the love story between two such complex characters. 

This series is a delight, and I can hardly wait to read Stella Hobhouse’s story next in The Muse of Maiden Lane. 

Get the Book

You can buy The Lily of Ludgate Hill at the links below – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews
Series	Belles of London (#3)
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Romance
Setting	England
Number of Pages	432
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	January 16, 2024
Publisher	Berkley Romance

Official Summary

A BookBub Best Romance of Winter 2024!

Fortune favors the bold—but is a confirmed spinster daring enough to loosen the reins and accept a favor from the wicked gentleman who haunts her dreams?

Lady Anne Deveril doesn’t spook easily. A woman of lofty social standing known for her glacial beauty and starchy opinions, she’s the unofficial leader of her small group of equestriennes. Since her mother’s devastating plunge into mourning six years ago, Anne voluntarily renounced any fanciful notions of love and marriage. And yet, when fate puts Anne back into the entirely too enticing path of Mr. Felix Hartford, she’s tempted to run…right into his arms.

No one understands why Lady Anne withdrew into the shadows of society, Hart least of all. The youthful torch he once held for her has long since cooled. Or so he keeps telling himself. But now Anne needs a favor to help a friend. Hart will play along with her little ruse—on the condition that Anne attend a holiday house party at his grandfather’s country estate. No more mourning clothes. No more barriers. Only the two of them, unrequited feelings at last laid bare.

Finally free to gallop out on her own, Anne makes the tantalizing discovery that beneath the roguish exterior of her not-so-white knight is a man with hidden depths, scorching passions—and a tender heart.