“Fans of the ‘Parish Orphans of Devon’ series will adore this final installment, reuniting the orphans and their loves.” —Library Journal, STARRED reviewAn Instant USA Today BestsellerShe Needed to be Seen…As a lady’s companion, Clara Hartwright never receives much attention from anyone. And that’s precisely how she likes it. With a stormy past, and an unconventional plan for her future, it’s … stormy past, and an unconventional plan for her future, it’s far safer to remain invisible. But when her new employer is invited to a month-long holiday at a remote coastal abbey, Clara discovers that she may not be as invisible as she’d hoped. At least, not as far as one gentleman is concerned.
He Wanted to be Heard…
Neville Cross has always been more comfortable with animals than people. An accident in his youth has left him with a brain injury that affects his speech. Forming the words to speak to his childhood friends is difficult enough. Finding the right things to say to a lovely young lady’s companion seems downright impossible. But Miss Hartwright is no ordinary companion. In fact, there may not be anything ordinary about her at all.
During a bleak Devon winter, two sensitive souls forge an unexpected friendship. But when Clara needs him most, will Neville find the courage to face his fears? Or is saying goodbye to her the most heroic thing he can do?
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I really was wondering how Mimi was going to wrap this series up…especially with a hero with a speech impediment. Since I’ve written a character who was almost mute, I was super antsy for her! But of course she mastered it, and this last installment in the Parish Orphans of Devon was as satisfying as the first three. LOVED the whole series. Don’t miss one!
I didn’t want THE WINTER COMPANION to end. I love Mimi Matthews’ writing, and her characters are so unique and so interesting and so in need of love, and happy-ever-after. I teared up reading, and held my breath near the end, eager for the happiness they both deserved, but not wanting the story to be over. One of my favs by Matthews. 5 stars, and highly recommended!
The Winter Companion is the fourth and final book of the Parish Orphans of Devon series by Mimi Matthews. It stands alone, but you are missing a great deal of perfection if you skip the first three. I was thrilled that Ms. Matthews states there may be novellas to tie up some loose threads, such as what becomes of Teddy. That’s good to know, because I am not ready to let these beloved characters go. This series is, in a word, beautiful.
Neville Cross is the fourth parish orphan of the group which also includes Justin, Tom and Alex. While they were all living in the orphanage, Neville had a horrible accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. As a result, he has a speech impediment and has trouble getting his words out. While his friends left the Parish and made their way in the world, Neville remained in the area. Feeling self-conscious, he much prefers spending time with animals instead of people….until lady’s companion Clara Hartwright arrives and sets his world on end. All of the orphans and their families are spending Christmas at Justin’s home, and Clara is the companion of one of the guests. She tries to keep a low profile so she isn’t noticed, but Neville certainly sees her. They become friends, but feelings begin to morph into something more.
This story is simply lovely. Clara has a bit of a past and issues with her family while Neville deals with his speech problem. There isn’t a huge mystery, danger or love triangle going on here, just two people falling in love and believing there is no way they can be together. When Clara has to leave due to a family emergency and tells Neville she won’t be back, they are both devastated. However, Neville’s love for Clara gives him the strength to go after her and venture away from his comfort zone. This sweet and beautiful story brought tears to my eyes. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten through an entire novel by Ms. Matthews without crying! I am so thankful for the extraordinary books that this talented author has given to us. I hope there are many more stories to come.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I have slowly been falling in love with Neville since the first book in this series. In my opinion, he’s the glue that holds these four friends together. I’m sure he holds a special place in all of our hearts. He’s one of the most endearing characters I’ve ever encountered in my years of reading.
Years ago, Neville was involved in an accident that resulted in a brain injury which has affected his speech. It hasn’t been easy to deal with. People think he’s slow and, for lack of a better word, dumb. But that’s far from the case. Neville is actually pretty smart. He just has a hard time forming his thoughts into words and expressing them. His condition seems to get worse when he’s in stressful situations, he’s upset or… when he’s around Clara.
Clara lost her teaching position after a scandal involving her rocked her little village. She was forced into letting all her dreams go and become a lady’s companion. If her past has taught her anything, it’s to become invisible. She doesn’t need another scandal derailing the only dream she has left, becoming a secretary to her brother once he completes his schooling. Meeting Neville was never in her plans.
From the moment Neville and Clara meet, there’s an instant connection that neither one of them can deny. However, they both know that nothing can ever happen between them. Neville can’t leave the abbey and Clara is only visiting for a month with her new employer. But the more time they spend together, the closer they become and the more their feelings start to grow.
As their time together comes to a close, Neville will need to decide if saying goodbye is what’s best for both of them or if their love is strong enough to see them through whatever obstacles life may throw at them, together.
*dreamy sigh*
Oh how I loved Neville and Clara! If anyone deserved a HEA, it’s these two! I loved watching their relationship grow from friendship into something more. Both of them had insecurities that were hard to face. But together they had all the love, courage, strength and determination they needed to face anything life had in store for them.
What an amazing ending to a fantastic series! I have loved spending time with the Parish Orphans of Devon and their wives! This series will be a must read over and over again. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Victorian romance!
I am seriously loving all the books of Ms. Matthews I have read. She has quickly become a favorite and an auto-buy author for me. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!
If you need me, I’ll be in a pile of mush over here. I knew from the previous Parrish Orphans book that I would love Neville and I was not wrong. I honestly don’t think Matthews can write a hero that I don’t love, but Neville is special guys. You HAVE to meet him for yourself. That being said, I can’t believe the series is over. What am I going to do now? Need. More. Books.
A lady’s companion ought to blend in with her surroundings, but it’s impossible for Clara Hartwright to remain invisible. Forced into genteel service in order to support her brother’s studies at Cambridge, Clara yearns to be a student of natural philosophy in her own right. When her position takes her to the freezing winterscape of Greyfriar’s Abbey in Devon, she forms a connection with Neville Cross, the tongue-tied Nordic giant who is a perplexing mix of gentleman and stablehand.
Abashed by his speech impediment and difficulty in articulating his thoughts, Neville works up the courage to befriend Miss Hartwright. When she’s not catering to her elderly client’s whims, Clara seeks out Neville’s assistance with her little pug dog, and he invites her to help him with the rare Dartmoor pony whose injured leg he is tending.
Their shared love of animals sparks a mutual interest, and before long, Clara realizes that Neville has depths that very few people have plumbed. But when Neville discovers that Clara’s dream is to travel the world as a naturalist (or, at least, a naturalist’s secretary), his own fears of leaving the Abbey go to war with the burgeoning love he has for his winter companion.
This book was, to put it succinctly, a wonder. The fourth book in the Parish Orphans of Devon series, it explores the story of Neville, the orphan boy who was injured long ago in a fall from the cliffs, giving him a permanent brain injury that makes communication difficult. When involved in active labor in the outdoors, his mind is clear enough, but the sustained effort of dealing with ledgers, administrative tasks, or conversational pleasantries makes his mind drift elsewhere. Clara, never at a loss for words, understands Neville in a way that not even his three friends (Justin, Tom, and Alex) can, lending him just the right amount of support to stand on his own, encouraging him in his own dreams of conserving the endangered Dartmoor ponies.
This story was a simple and poignant one with no major villain to be overcome other than the internal struggles of both protagonists. Clara’s unkind betrayal at the hands of those close to her unfolds gradually, with a perfect sense of mystery, and Neville coming to Clara’s rescue was one of the sweetest things I have ever read. Tennyson has always been my favorite poet, and if you have a soul, you will weep when Neville shares his favorite poem with Clara in the railway coach.
After seeing Neville in the previous three books as a minor character, I didn’t know how Mimi Matthews was going to make a romantic hero out of him, but once again, she proves that she is the mistress of proper Victorian romance, creating a love story for the ages that uplifts, inspires, and satisfies.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
A man with a speech disability meets a woman in search of her place in the world. A lovely Victorian tale of love and fulfillment
“The Winter Companion” brings Mimi Mathew’s Parish Orphans of Devon series to a sweet and thought-provoking close. The book is standalone, but the whole series is excellent and I recommend reading them all.
Confined to an orphanage, friends Justin, Tom, Alex and Neville faced a traumatic childhood deprived of almost everything but found in each other strength to cope with life. They often sought adventure and mischief by climbing the treacherous cliffs of Greyfriar’s Abbey. One day, while climbing down, young Neville Cross lost his balance, crashed his head and fell into the ocean down below never to be the same person again.
Now adults, the friends reunite in Greyfriar’s Abbey (currently owned by Justin) to celebrate Christmas. In the meantime, Neville is struck by the realization that, due to the speech issues that followed his accident, he stayed frozen in place with no future or perspectives while his friends lives moved on.
Neville’s character is very complex and utterly adorable. He is vulnerable but at the same time strong. It is hard for him to communicate with words, but his actions speak for themselves, and show the unmistakable goodness of his heart. His mind is sound, and it is painful to see how the speech struggles change the perception other people have of him.
The romance takes place when Clara Hartwright, the companion to one of the guests of the Christmas party, comes to the stables to ask Neville to take care of her old pug dog Bertie. Clara is strong and caring and has to work to maintain herself and also to pay for her brother’s studies. She has academic aspirations and, like Neville, a true love for animals.
It is a slow burn romance, but it is so worth the wait. The reader is invited to witness their first meeting, their friendship, and how they slowly get to know each other and see each other’s true selves.
Once again, Mimi Matthews crafts a beautiful tale of true love and the quest for a fulfilling life.
Disclosure: I have received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Winter Companion
Parish Orphans of Devon Series #4
Mimi Matthews
https://www.facebook.com/MimiMatthewsAuthor/
Release date 02/11/2020
Publisher Perfectly Proper Press
Blurb :
She Needed to be Seen…
As a lady’s companion, Clara Hartwright never receives much attention from anyone. And that’s precisely how she likes it. With a stormy past, and an unconventional plan for her future, it’s far safer to remain invisible. But when her new employer is invited to a month-long holiday at a remote coastal abbey, Clara discovers that she may not be as invisible as she’d hoped. At least, not as far as one gentleman is concerned.
He Wanted to be Heard…
Neville Cross has always been more comfortable with animals than people. An accident in his youth has left him with a brain injury that affects his speech. Forming the words to speak to his childhood friends is difficult enough. Finding the right things to say to a lovely young lady’s companion seems downright impossible. But Miss Hartwright is no ordinary companion. In fact, there may not be anything ordinary about her at all.
During a bleak Devon winter, two sensitive souls forge an unexpected friendship. But when Clara needs him most, will Neville find the courage to face his fears? Or is saying goodbye to her the most heroic thing he can do?
My review :
When a lady’s companion with a lot of unspoken things meets a man of few words who reawakens feelings she buried when she was too trusting…
The more I read Mrs Mimi Matthews, the more I love her magic brush with words and her easiness at painting larger than life characters.
I read the previous book in this series, and now I have the two firsts waiting on my shelves.
While reading Alex and Laura, I had a glimpse of the four orphans’ life and how life made them part ways.
And now, they are all reunited under the same roof some decades later.
Except Neville, all have found love along their route. But he has accepted it might not be for him, his disability preventing him to see himself as worthy of love.
In some way, they were at a time lucky as fate intervened and saved them from a worst destiny.
But when they moved in their life, Neville is still struck in the same place where it all started.
Clara’s past gullibility put her in this place, having to leave everything behind and trade her romantic old self for a more pragmatic one, with few dreams and only acceptable expectancies.
While her past is very slowly revealed, the true Clara is also not far away, but she fights her old hopes and tries to find contentment in her new fabricated attentes.
Mrs Mimi Matthews brings together two people life has broken in the inside. Why they are wary of going out of their comfort zone or expecting more for themselves.
She gives them time to reflect on their past and the future awaiting them, so when life catches up with them, while Clara follows the flow, but as a woman she has few other options, It is up to Neville to take his future in his hands, leave the safe road and have faith he will fall upon the right path.
This wondrous tale deserves no less than five stars, Mrs Mimi Matthews offers with this last in a series, a condensate of the power of love and friendship as it makes people alters their life’s course to fight for their bonds.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher through Netgalley and prior to it I preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
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This was a beautiful story, Mimi Matthews has a wonderful way of telling stories and writing interesting characters. Thank you.
Enjoyed the whole series. Couldn’t wait to finish reading about the strong characters.
I usually stick to Christian Fiction but also enjoy clean historical fiction. I stumbled across this series and overall I enjoyed it.
I loved how precious Clara and Neville were to one another from the moment they first met.
I enjoyed the time they spent in the Abbey, the barn, on the beach, in the woods, at the pasture, meeting up in and returning from Cambridge. Just all of it!
Their personal victories were very sweet as well as the way they brought them together.
I have really enjoyed this entire series, but this book was the sweetest of them all!
I know I’m getting older and don’t remember things like I used to, like every book I’ve ever read. I would like to think I’d never forget that Mimi Matthews was one of my favorite authors. While I was reading The Winter Companion, I had a vague feeling that I was familiar with the cast of characters and the setting. That sense of ‘knowing’ grew stronger as I continued turning the pages. I was enjoying the story too much to stop and look the book up on the internet. When I finished, I looked it up and sure enough, I was correct; I had read the first one in this series, The Matrimonial Advertisement. It all came back to me and now I’m sad that I hadn’t read the second and third books. The two that I have read can be read as standalone stories but I much prefer to go back and read the others.
This particular book was a very sweet romance with the bedroom door firmly closed. The heroine, Clara, was innocent and precious. I also found her to be intelligent but gullible yet maintained a strong independent mindset. Those conflicting set of characteristics somehow made her charming and a perfect match for the hero, Neville. Neville’s honesty and childlike mannerisms stole my heart. Together Neville and Clara built each other up. They both had issues from their past to overcome and I appreciated how they didn’t play mind games. They shared their past with each other and their dreams. It was entertaining to see them find their happily ever after.
One bone of contention I have is with Clara’s brother and her mother. Without spoiling anything, I’m not happy with how there is no mention of them afterwards. No apology or closure. I’m left with a few questions. Does Clara just never write or see them again? They were a significant part of the plot. They were the reason that Clara was a companion in the first place and ended up at Devon. I’m a picky reviewer when it comes to those kinds of loose threads.
I enjoyed the epilogue and found The Winter Companion to be an entertaining read. I’m just going to assume that Clara never spoke to her mother or her brother again as long as she lived. They didn’t deserve to have Clara in their lives anyway. What they did to her was unforgivable in my opinion. Neville’s love for Clara more than made up for this minor hiccup in the plot. Their happily ever after made for a satisfying read.
“Words only had value if they were honest and true. If a person actually meant them.” (quote from the book)
So much emotion is written within this final novel of the Parish Orphans of Devon series. It is a fitting end to a series that I wish wasn’t but all has been beautifully and evocatively written.
When Clara Hartwright comes to Greyfriars Abbey for the Christmas holiday as a companion to Mrs. Bainbridge, all she can think of is being free to pursue her goals.
“Soon. Soon she’d be done with Mrs. Bainbridge. Done with being silent and subservient. With being a ghost. Soon she would shed the trappings of a lady’s companion.” (quote from the book)
When Neville Cross meets Clara he is lost. This handsome, gentle giant is struck by her beauty. Due to his childhood accident, he has a speech impediment caused by a brain injury. How he expresses himself through short sentences and actions will melt your heart. It certainly did mine.
“She’d flustered him. Rattled him to his core.” (quote from the book)
I loved Neville and Clara’s journey. How they see within each other the difficulties each have endured. There were so many scenes that tugged at the heart and tears would hover, especially on the path to the beach. And then the letter…oh my, the tears fell then.
“He gazed down at her. And he knew, quite suddenly, that she was as aware of him as he was of her. That she felt that same sense of warmth. Of connection.” (quote from the book)
So grab a box of tissues and curl up in a comfy chair, for you are in for a heartwarming tale of facing fears and following your dreams.
Each of the books in this series is wonderful, and I do recommend starting with the first book, “A Matrimonial Advertisement”.
I think it was Rachel McMillan that first introduced me to Mimi Matthews. I read one book and I was hooked and couldn’t wait to read ALL the books!
I’m a fan and I really enjoyed each of the instalments in the Parish Orphans series. With beautiful characters, lush landscapes and compelling storytelling I think you will too!
A lovely historical romance with interesting characters. A good read to escape troubled times.
I always look forward to Mimi Matthews’s books; she never disappoints. The Parish Orphans’ stories have been delightful. I’d wondered how much I’d enjoy/relate to Neville’s story but the characters and relationships were warm, satisfying, and believable.
What a great read! A true page turner and keeper.I absolutely love this author and I enjoy every book she’s written. Neville is a fabulous character, the animals so cute and Clara’s just as strong and as real as ever.
Clara, a ladies companion, is spending the Christmas holidays with her employer at a relative’s home. The home is large, well appointed & the other guests are pleasant company all around. When Clara takes her pet bulldog Bertie to the stables, to discuss the arrangements for his care during her stay, she meets Neville. Neville works in the stables but is also a close friend of several of the guests & resides in the main house. The attraction is mutual but restrained, due in large part to a bad experience in Clara’s past, which has left her very cautious around men. The visit is a rather long one & during this time, Clara & Neville see each other frequently & when Clara leaves suddenly to check on her brother in Cambridge, Neville realizes he cannot let her walk out of his life.
This was a charming & well written novel. It is part of a series, & I have not read the previous books but it was not a problem. The author does a good job of inserting fragments of info related to the past. I definitely recommend this book.
Than you to Netgalley, the author Mimi Matthews, and the publisher Perfectly Proper Press for the free ARC I received in exchange for an honest opinion.
Ms. Matthews has created two flawed characters that touch the heart. You find yourself rooting for them as they fumbled their way to a happy ever after.
I’ve read all of Mimi Matthews’ books & have felt they’re each deserving of 4-5 stars respectively. There is such a natural flow to her stories & the research done comes out clear in the small details of the book. This helps to round out the story more fully & helps me to feel immersed in the story. I thought with this being the last book of the series it brought everything together in a satisfying end. The current H & previous H’s found resolution. I liked both the h & the H of this book. I think & liked how with each book the author wrote the main characters with having similar themes in their struggles. The h & H complimented each other well. I felt their love and attraction genuine. While other books have more intense kissing scenes or a mention of the marriage bed or the h being nervous of what to expect, a steamy clean. This book focuses more on the romance and coming together & overcoming difficulties. I very much enjoyed that. There was excellent dialogue, character and story development. This was a romance with a happily ever after but also some realism to show the difficulties women had in the Victorian era.