The Lily of Ludgate Hill

Belles of London, Book 3

By: Mimi Matthews

Narrated by: Samuel Roukin, Elizabeth Knowelden

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.

©2024 Mimi Matthews (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"No one writes Victorian romance like Mimi Matthews, and her Belles of London series just keeps getting better! No-nonsense Lady Anne has renounced marriage and devoted herself to two things—her band of equestrienne friends, and her widowed mother still locked in deepest crepe-veiled mourning. But a dashing former suitor blasts back into Anne's shuttered world bringing passion and change in his wake, and Anne must decide if she will embrace life or remain safe in her chrysalis. The Lily of Ludgate Hill made me smile from beginning to end." —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author

Compassion and strength

After losing a husband, a child does take on a more mature role in the relationship between a mother and a daughter. Lady Ann was illustrated as a very strong, yet compassionate woman towards her mother, and her respect of the relationship between her mother and father. This was a beautiful story. Miss Matthews never ceases to amaze me in her writing abilities. I would recommend all of her books as I have all of her books.

Great narrator and interesting well developed plot

Storyline was a bit repetitive and predictable but author is an accomplished storyteller - my interest was held until the end,

A lovely second chance romance!

In the third book of The Belles of London series, Mimi Matthews pens a thoughtful and poignant tale of love, duty to family, and second chances set in Victorian England. Additionally, The Lily of Ludgate Hill gently explores the relationship between grief and healing in a romantic context. Anne’s loyalty to her friend, Julia (Belle of Belgrave Square), sends her on a road trip to Yorkshire with Felix Hartford, the man who broke her tender heart six years ago. Despite the long separation and disappointment, there remains a lingering attraction, undying love, and hope for reconciliation. Luckily, the journey to Yorkshire presents Anne and Hart with the opportunity to view each other with fresh lenses and confront their unresolved past.

The Lily of Ludgate Hill is the quintessential second chance romance that delivers on the angst, yearning, banter, and a heartwarming happily-ever-after. If you love Jane Austen’s Persuasion, you will savor Anne and Hartford’s slow burn romance. “Skeptical she might be. Uncertain she was. But not immune. Not to him.” And if you need more inducements, one or two Parish Orphans make a cameo appearance in this book!

I always enjoy Elizabeth Knowelden's narration and Samuel Roukin did a good job, too.

A story of personal growth in the 1800s

I truly enjoyed getting to watch the characters grow as individuals, to see their hardships, and how they overcame. They truly discovered themselves, which was beautiful. I always love how Mimi ads in bits of history and understanding at the end as to why she wrote the story as well.

There’s nothing I disliked about the story, there’s just some of her other stories that are even better. I’m excited to hear the next one in this series!Great job, Mimi! Thank you!

Worth the wait!

I don't have the words to express my enjoyment of this story.
Thank you Ms. Mathews for your diligent hard work on your art form.

A great follow up as the 3rd book in the series.

Loved that it brought Teddy into the series and set up the last book. Clean book, which I love!

Fantastic book! Can’t wait for the next Mimi Matthews book!

I enjoyed this audiobook and was engaged from the beginning. I am a fan of all of her works, but this one was one of my favorites. Mimi’s attention to historic detail is impressive and her characters are well rounded and complex. I am transported by her characters who have been marginalized by Victorian society as they struggle to overcome their difficulties. Somehow Mimi makes the issues of her historic fiction characters feel contemporary, compelling, authentic, and relatable. For those who like to be enveloped and transported by historical fiction, don’t miss this book!

This series is so good!

Enjoyable second chance story. Can stand alone but I recommend the series be read in order. I loved the narration by Samuel Roukin and Elizabeth Knowelden.

Another great one!!!❤️❤️❤️

I absolutely love this series. I love all of Mimi Matthews books to be sure. I can’t wait to hear Stella’s story. And I hope they don’t stop there somehow. Thank you Mimi. 😊 Also, this series has different narrators but are all excellent. That in itself is a miracle!

A Real and Captivating Story

There is such a lively and real setting in this Victorian love story of Ann and Felix, and also in the obstacles of how to bridge the old world of the upper class with the new world and the “commoners” in trade of the industrialisation in the second half of the 19th century. That is precisely where we meet our two lovers. An exciting time in history to be sure, which Felix has embraced in his need/want to survive his immense heartbreak 6+ years earlier. He has developed a formidable patience through his trials juggling family, heart and a risky economical survival, which makes him the most interesting character in this story.
He truly becomes a quite humble “saviour” in perfect timing with Ann and her dominant mother’s forced life changing situation.
So far the most heartfelt of the three “Belles of London” novels (everyone of them great reads in their own right) - but also the story with the most annoying mother and daughter relation which of course is absolutely necessary to understand the actions of our intelligent, beautiful and struggling for balance heroine in a life situation with very few choices.
I’ll definitely read/listen to it again.
The performances of both Ann and Felix were perfect to my ears!
Now it shall be a looong wait for Stella and Teddy’s Story…