This book is the return of two secondary characters from the first book in this series: Jenny Holloway and Tom Finchley, an attorney. Jenny was a companion to Lady Helena (in the last book) and received a modest independence of 5000 pounds from Helena. Jenny plans to use it to travel to India to find her lost (and presumed dead) cousin Giles, the 6th Earl of Castleton. Unfortunately, during a native uprising, Giles was cut down, but no body recovered.
Tom was horrified by Jenny's plan to travel that far without companions. So he hires two native Indians living in Britain. Tom also decides to go along; this is so out of character that I'm amazed. Tom has been the logical one in the past. I also cannot imagine Tom could have made those travel arrangements so quickly.
Frankly, I'm surprised by the stodgy tone of this book. This is the eighth book I've read by this author, and I'm disappointed. I never expected anything by Mimi Matthews to be ponderous and slow-moving as this book is. As a result, I won't be able to recommend it.
Parish Orphans of Devon â Total of 4
1. The Matrimonial Advertisement (2018)
** 2. A Modest Independence (2019)
3. A Convenient Fiction (2019)
4. The Winter Companion (2020)
Tom was horrified by Jenny's plan to travel that far without companions. So he hires two native Indians living in Britain. Tom also decides to go along; this is so out of character that I'm amazed. Tom has been the logical one in the past. I also cannot imagine Tom could have made those travel arrangements so quickly.
Frankly, I'm surprised by the stodgy tone of this book. This is the eighth book I've read by this author, and I'm disappointed. I never expected anything by Mimi Matthews to be ponderous and slow-moving as this book is. As a result, I won't be able to recommend it.
Parish Orphans of Devon â Total of 4
1. The Matrimonial Advertisement (2018)
** 2. A Modest Independence (2019)
3. A Convenient Fiction (2019)
4. The Winter Companion (2020)
Regina (virgosun) reviewed A Modest Independence (Parish Orphans of Devon) on + 887 more book reviews
The second installment in the Parish Orphans series is another tender and emotional read. Tom yearns for security while Jenny is desperate for independence. This travel romance takes the reader on a journey to India with all the various stops along a typical route taken in Victorian times. That part was as fascinating as the romance was star-crossed. Tom and Jenny just didn't know how to deal with their attraction, budding love, and differing goals, resulting in plenty of tender and anguish-filled scenes. Their search for her missing family member led them across India, and a map would have been helpful so as to follow along (and to satisfy my curiosity), but still, A Modest Independence is a very good read. 4 stars.
