Stella Hobhouse is a brilliant rider, stalwart friend, skilled sketch artist—and completely overlooked. Her outmodish gray hair makes her invisible to London society. Combined with her brother’s pious restrictions and her dwindling inheritance, Stella is on the verge of a lifetime marooned in Derbyshire as a spinster. Unless she does something drastic…like posing for a daring new style of portrait by the only man who’s ever really seen her.
Aspiring painter Edward “Teddy” Hayes knows true beauty when he sees it. He would never ask Stella to risk her reputation as an artist’s model but in the five years since a virulent bout of scarlet fever left him partially paralyzed, Teddy has learned to heed good fortune when he finds it. He’ll do anything to persuade his muse to pose for him, even if he must offer her a marriage of convenience.
After all, though Teddy has yearned to trace Stella’s luminous beauty on canvas since their chance meeting, her heart is what he truly aches to capture….
SPOILER WARNING: Some details in this review reveal a few plot points.
Mimi Matthews’ four-book series, Belles of London comes to a conclusion with The Muse of Maiden Lane. As the titular character, Stella Hobhouse is similar to her three female companions, with whom readers became acquainted in the previous novels. Like the other “Furies”, she is an avid horsewoman, longs to find true love, and holds strong opinions for a woman in the 19th century. Evelyn, Julia, Anne, and Stella are all beautiful, but the latter equestrienne has a unique quality. Although she is merely twenty-two, Stella’s hair is prematurely gray. Unfortunately in that society, this places her at a disadvantage in finding a husband. Her desire for a love match also reduces her options, as she often feels “unseen” by potential suitors due to her hair color. Meeting “Mr. Right” proves to be difficult when few will give her a second glance.
Artist Teddy Hayes also feels invisible in his own way. As a young man confined to a wheelchair and dependent on a manservant for even simple tasks, his prospects for marrying well are not strong. He also aspires to be a respected painter, and when he meets Stella Hobhouse, he is completely struck by her. She becomes his muse, and he becomes desperate to paint her portrait. However, this is no ordinary portrait. The project he has in mind is a painting of Stella that would showcase her in an innovative and intimate way. While it is not a nude portrait, the style is quite provocative. For her to pose for him as an unmarried woman would be scandalous.
Teddy and Stella do feel attracted to each other, but it is unclear whether they would have a relationship of love or convenience. Teddy needs to paint Stella in an intimate way. Stella needs a husband. They agree to wed, but will their relationship settle into that of merely artist and muse? Will they simply be offering one another a temporary service, albeit with a permanent commitment? Once Teddy’s painting is complete, how will their lives transpire from there? To proceed becomes an act of faith in the face of transitory needs being met.
The Muse of Maiden Lane was an interesting way to conclude this series. I enjoyed the personal journey of both Teddy and his muse Stella. In their own ways, they each felt invisible and wanted to be seen. Yet they both sometimes desired to hide and be noticed by no one. As an artist Teddy wanted positive recognition by his peers, but not fame. He despised others seeing his physical weaknesses and hid his limitations often. Similarly, Stella wanted to be respected as a woman in spite of her gray hair. She yearned for independence from her caretaking brother, even if it meant striking out on her own without a husband. Publicly galloping her horse in an unseemly manner did not disturb her, but she was also known for hiding (or even dyeing) her hair color in order to blend into her environment. Both characters wrestled with the desire to be seen, while also having a longing to hide.
This internal push-pull becomes quite interesting as Teddy and Stella ultimately become man and wife. Each must quickly adapt to not only a new level of physical and emotional exposure, but they also must allow their respective spouse to care for them unconditionally. As individuals they grow into greater security, trusting each other and themselves to have confidence in who they are, with all their flaws and talents on display.
Their relationship exhibits some of the hardest and yet some of the most realistic aspects of what it means to be married. A healthy, committed marriage will include acceptance of certain personal weaknesses in the other. True, spouses should always encourage one another to grow and become the best versions of themselves. In the cases of abuse, such damaging behavior should never be allowed. That said, no husband or wife is ever going to be a perfect person. They will always have flaws, be they personal or physical. Loving your spouse in the face of their handicap (whether literal or metaphorical) is key to a long-term successful marriage.
Likewise, understanding that you yourself have flaws is important as well. As spouses we need to be open to careful correction, and be willing to see matters through the eyes of someone who loves us, flaws and all. In The Muse of Maiden Lane, Teddy saw the “flawed” gray-haired Stella as a shining star, not as someone who was diminished in beauty because of her hair and vivacious spirit. Stella was also able to show Teddy unconditional love as they navigated the difficulties of his life in a wheelchair. She taught him that her feelings for him were not contingent upon whether or not he could use his legs. She loved him for who he was.
As a content alert for readers: Mimi Matthews is known for bringing thoroughly romantic novels to her readers, with a minimum amount of steamy or adult content. For the most part, The Muse of Maiden Lane is very tame. The honeymoon night scene is a bit spicier than in other romantic passages I’ve read from her, but she keeps it at a PG-rated level of heat. Ultimately the scene “fades to black” until the most adult moments have passed. Unlike other authors in the romance novel genre, Matthews does not use that episode to titillate or exploit the scene just for the sake of eroticism. So while I cannot necessarily recommend that moment to very young readers, I appreciate the choices that Matthews made in crafting the scene between two married people.
In conclusion, The Muse of Maiden Lane was a fine ending to an entertaining series. I enjoyed the moments shared with all four “Furies” and their respective loved ones from the previous novels. The winks to the other stories tied Maiden Lane in nicely. Although this title could stand alone, I would recommend readers enjoy the previous works beforehand in order to have greater appreciation for these fabulous ladies and their many adventures. Mimi Matthews’ love for horses, her knowledge of the time period, and her storytelling skills were on clear display, and she has once again delivered an enjoyable novel to her readership.
AUTHOR BIO
USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.
Read Chapter One of The Muse of Maiden Lane HERE
