A Modest Independence by Mimi Matthews

A Modest Independence by Mimi Matthews ISBN-13: 9780999036488 ebook: 400 pages Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press Released: April 23, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Solicitor Tom Finchley has spent his life using his sharp intellect to solve the problems of others. As for his own problems, they’re nothing that a bit of calculated vengeance can’t remedy. But that’s all over now. He’s finally ready to put the past behind him and settle down to a quiet, uncomplicated life.

Former lady’s companion Jenny Holloway has just been given a modest independence. Now, all she wants is a bit of adventure. A chance to see the world and experience life far outside the restrictive limits of Victorian England. If she can discover the fate of the missing Earl of Castleton while she’s at it, so much the better.

From the gaslit streets of London to the lush tea gardens of colonial India, Jenny and Tom embark on an epic quest—and an equally epic romance. But even at the farthest edges of the British Empire, the past has a way of catching up with you…


My Review:
A Modest Independence is a romance set in 1860 and follows a couple as they travel from England to India and then around India. This is the second book in a series, but it can be read as a standalone. The author has clearly deeply researched the time period and about traveling along this route. She wove this information into the story, creating a distinct sense of time and place.

The characters were complex and reacted realistically to events. Things that happened in Jenny's and Tom's childhood now stand in the way of their getting married. Jenny no longer trusts men with control over her life, so she's determined to remain unmarried even if that means fighting her attraction to Tom. Tom grew up an orphan. He's reluctant to leave England, where he now has contacts, influence, and some control over his life. Still, he accompanies Jenny to India, using his knowledge and protection to help her track down information about the missing Earl.

Tom respected Jenny's desire to have control in her life and tried to protect her reputation by claiming to be her half-brother. They still found ways to do a lot of intense kissing, which nearly got them in trouble – both their reputations and with things nearly going further than they intended. There were no sex scenes. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story, especially if you're interested in the history or setting.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.